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Roast potatoes are crispier if you coat them in unexpected ingredient
Chef Poppy O'Toole, known online as Poppy Cooks, has shared a roast potato method that swaps traditional fats for clotted cream, resulting in what she describes as 'phenomenal' caramelisation and a 'super glisten crispiness.' The recipe, which involves boiling, steam-drying, and coating potatoes in cream before roasting, has sparked curiosity among home cooks as temperatures cool across Britain.
As temperatures across Britain begin to drop after a spell of scorching heatwaves, many households are returning to the comforting ritual of a traditional Sunday roast. For those looking to elevate their side dish game, chef Poppy O'Toole—known online as Poppy Cooks—has shared an unconventional method for achieving perfectly crispy roast potatoes.
O'Toole, a 32-year-old chef with 1.4 million Instagram followers, built her reputation on potato-based recipes after a decade working in fine-dining and Michelin-starred restaurants. In a recent Instagram reel, she revealed her latest experiment: cooking roast potatoes with clotted cream.
"So I saw you can cook roast potatoes with clotted cream, and I have to give it a go," she told her followers.
The Method
The recipe begins by quartering the potatoes and placing them in a pan of cold, heavily salted water—a step O'Toole describes as "key" when cooking anything grown in the ground. The potatoes are boiled for about 15 minutes until fork tender, then drained and steam-dried for 5 to 10 minutes in a colander over the pan, draped with a clean tea towel. O'Toole calls this an "important step" to ensure the potatoes are thoroughly dry and crisp up properly.
While still piping hot, roughly half a tub of clotted cream is folded through the potatoes. O'Toole confessed it felt "wild" combining the cream with the potatoes, noting that the cream melting into them was "like butter." The potatoes are then seasoned with salt and transferred onto a pre-heated baking tray before roasting.
The Verdict
O'Toole showcased the finished product first, praising the caramelisation achieved through this method as "phenomenal." She described the potatoes as having "beautiful colour, and a super glisten crispiness."
Sampling the potatoes, she opted to dip them in additional clotted cream, admitting it "could be a step too far" before adding, "It's only like having a scone, isn't it?" She described the texture as "very soft," with the cream appearing to melt in the mouth, and likened them to "fluffy clouds of potato." Despite her initial reservations, she concluded, "They are good actually."
O'Toole acknowledged that the recipe was one of the "weirdest" she had created, stating, "I just don't know how I feel about it," but added, "I do love a clotted cream though."
A Summer Roast Suggestion
Interestingly, O'Toole suggested that these roasties might be better suited to a summer roast dinner, as thick gravy would "melt into nothing" when paired with the creamy potatoes. With the current cooling trend across Britain, however, home cooks may still find this a tempting variation to try alongside their favourite Sunday trimmings.
How each outlet told it
Daily Express
Framing: Emphasizes crispiness as the main benefit, using 'unexpected ingredient' to hint at clotted cream without naming it directly. — Informative and mildly promotional, with quotes like 'phenomenal' and 'crispy' supporting a positive presentation.
Facts Included:
Chef Poppy O'Toole, known online as Poppy Cooks, shared a method for crispy roast potatoes using clotted cream.
O'Toole has 1.4 million Instagram followers and is 32 years old.
She described the caramelisation as 'phenomenal' and the potatoes as having 'beautiful colour, and a super glisten crispiness'.
Preparation steps: slice potatoes into quarters, boil in cold heavily salted water for 15 minutes until fork tender, drain and steam dry for 5-10 minutes with a tea towel, add half a tub of clotted cream while hot, season with salt, place on a pre-heated baking tray, and roast.
O'Toole described the texture as 'very soft' and said they were better suited to a summer roast dinner as gravy would 'melt into nothing'.
The article notes that temperatures in Britain have dropped, making it an ideal time for roast dinners after recent heatwaves.
Framing: Emphasizes making roast potatoes 'fluffy and golden' by coating them in an 'alternative ingredient' (clotted cream), leaving out the chef's name and the exact nature of the ingredient. — Descriptive and slightly enthusiastic, quoting O'Toole's positive reactions such as 'phenomenal' and 'like fluffy clouds of potato'.
Facts Included:
Chef Poppy O'Toole, known online as Poppy Cooks, shared a hack for roast potatoes using clotted cream.
O'Toole has 1.4 million Instagram followers and is 32 years old.
She described the caramelisation as 'phenomenal' and the colour as 'beautiful' with 'super glisten crispiness'.
Preparation steps: slice potatoes into quarters, boil in cold heavily salted water for 15 minutes until fork tender, drain and steam dry for 5-10 minutes with a tea towel, add half a tub of clotted cream while hot, season with salt, place on a pre-heated baking tray, and roast.
O'Toole described the texture as 'very soft' and 'like fluffy clouds of potato', and said they would be better suited to summer roast dinner as thick gravy would 'melt into nothing'.
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimChef Poppy O'Toole is known online as Poppy Cooks.
ClaimPoppy O'Toole shared a roast potato method using clotted cream in an Instagram reel, saying she saw you can cook roast potatoes with clotted cream and had to give it a go.
ClaimPoppy O'Toole said the clotted-cream roast potato recipe was one of the "weirdest" potato recipes she had created and admitted "I just don't know how I feel about it."
ClaimTemperatures across Britain appear to be dropping slightly, making it an ideal time for a traditional roast dinner after recent scorching heatwaves during which many households may have abandoned the Sunday roast ritual.