Baking, or russet, potatoes make the best mashed potatoes, followed by gold potatoes. We have found that baking the potatoes, rather than boiling or microwaving them, yields the fluffiest texture. While baking takes longer than boiling or microwaving, as long as the oven temperature is at or below 400°F the potatoes can be baked alongside a roast, casserole, or other dish. (The timing will vary, so check for tenderness with a fork.) If desired, buttermilk, sour cream, or crème fraîche may be used instead of cream or milk, but do not heat these with the butter or they may curdle.

Boil or bake until tender:

Meanwhile, heat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat:

Do not let the mixture boil. If using boiled potatoes, transfer them to a colander placed in the sink and briefly rinse off any excess starch. Return to the pot they were cooked in and shake over medium heat until mealy and dry. If using baked potatoes, wait until they are just cool enough to handle and carefully peel off the skin, or cut each potato in half and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl. Mash the hot potatoes or run them through a potato ricer (if using a ricer, you can rice large chunks of boiled potato with the skin intact—the skin will be left behind in the ricer). Fold the cream mixture into the potatoes, stirring just enough to incorporate (overworking the potatoes will turn them gummy). If the potatoes seem stiff, add more hot cream or milk. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve at once. If desired, top with:

Mashed potatoes can be kept hot for up to 30 minutes by covering the (heatproof) serving dish with foil and placing it in a warm oven.