A perfectly cooked jacket potato is a lunchtime classic, boasting a crisp exterior and fluffy interior. However, many struggle to achieve the ideal texture. Poppy O'Toole, known as the 'potato queen', shares a simple technique that makes jacket potatoes 'extra delicious and crispy'. Her star-cut method has gone viral, even impressing This Morning hosts Dermot O'Leary and Josie Gibson.
The Secret: Star Cuts
Instead of the traditional cross, Poppy carves a star pattern into the potato with three or four cuts. This increases surface area, resulting in crispier skin and allowing more of the creamy filling to penetrate.
Ingredients
- 2 large Maris Piper or Russet potatoes
- 80g cream cheese
- 100g salted butter
- 1 bulb garlic
- Small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt, ground white pepper, fine sugar, neutral oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan/220°C/440°F (or 200°C/400°F for air fryer). Pierce potatoes with a fork, coat with oil, season with salt, and roast for 45-60 minutes until cooked and crispy.
- Slice top off garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, season, wrap in foil, and roast alongside potatoes.
- With 10 minutes left, unwrap garlic, squeeze into butter, melt together, season with salt, stir in parsley, and set aside. In another bowl, mix cream cheese with salt, white pepper, and sugar.
- Once potatoes are cool enough, score a line down the middle, then make two more cuts crossing over. Carefully open cuts and fill with cream cheese mixture.
- Place potatoes on oven tray or air fryer basket, spoon garlic butter generously over top. Increase oven temperature to 210°C fan/230°C/450°F (or keep same for air fryer). Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Finish with flaky sea salt and serve.
