Adding clotted cream to the roasting tray is the surprising "secret" to achieving crispy, golden and fluffy roast potatoes every time, according to Cornish Dairy Co. The company says this sweet product, typically reserved for desserts, works better than honey or other traditional methods.
The Cornish Secret Revealed
Roast potatoes are a staple of the classic Sunday roast, with many recipes and techniques claiming to be the ideal way to prepare them. Achieving perfectly crispy exteriors while keeping a light and fluffy texture inside is a common goal, with ingredients such as baking soda, animal fats and cornflour often championed.
However, Cornish Dairy Co. has extolled the merits of one of its locally produced products, which helps transform the "humble spud into a golden roast potato" - all thanks to a so-called "Cornish secret".
A spokesperson for Cornish Dairy Co. revealed: "The secret to truly great roast potatoes is Cornish clotted cream. Rich, silk and naturally sweet, it transforms a humble spud into a golden roast potato that's crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle."
How to Use Clotted Cream for Roasties
The technique requires simply adding the clotted cream straight into a pre-heated roasting tray before melting it. Once the potatoes are added, they can be covered in the melted cream to help "bring out a depth of flavour that other fats and oils can't match," in turn "creating a golden, crisp exterior as it melts while enriching the potato with a nutty, brown-butter richness", per the company.
The company has unveiled its recipe and technique for cooking up the "ultimate" roast potatoes, using clotted cream alongside the rest of the ingredients:
- 1.5-2kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward)
- 3-4 heaped tbsp Cornish Dairy Co Clotted Cream
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)
Step-by-Step Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C)/gas mark 6 and place your roasting tray inside to heat up - this is because "a hot tray helps create extra-crispy edges". Peel your potatoes and chop them into uniformly-sized pieces, which will help them "cook evenly" and "ensures every piece crisps beautifully".
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for eight to 10 minutes, "or until the outer layers are just tender when poked with a knife but the centres remain firm". Drain the potatoes into a colander and "give them a gentle shake to rough up the edges - this creates texture that turns irresistibly crisp in the oven" before leaving them to steam-dry for two to three minutes.
Remove the hot roasting tray from the oven and add the clotted cream straight onto the tray before returning it to the oven for 30 seconds to melt and bubble. Carefully tip the potatoes into the tray, turning them so every edge is coated in the warm clotted cream. Season generously with salt and pepper and add herbs or garlic cloves if using.
Arrange the potatoes so they're not touching – "space is crucial for crispiness" - and roast them for 45–55 minutes, "turning once halfway through, until golden, crunchy and caramelised. They should be deeply crisp on the outside with a soft, fluffy centre". Finish with an additional pinch of sea salt and, if desired, fresh herbs. Serve straight away.
A pot of Cornish Clotted Cream usually retails at £2.40 and can be bought from Tesco, Asda, Co-op, SPAR and other retailers.
