Potato cake help ... not urgent :-)

[MrsSantoslovestheBBC]

Mine are always pants. I either end up adding too much flour to hold them together or they just disintegrate. The last lot I made, I refridgerated them overnight and they still descended into slimy mush. I wouldn't mind but I am part Irish. Surely this should be a genetic thing (I can't make Yorkshire pud either and I am Yorkshire born and bred - perhaps I am a lost cause . Any hints?

Hmm I have a feeling it's something to do with the type of potato you use. Try to pick a non floury sort of potato as they crumble very easily. Also don't let the potato get too wet, so dry it out before mashing.

As an alternative try making hash browns as once the raw potato is grated you can squeeze all the water out before moulding and frying/baking.

Yorkshire Pud - I have a tin to cook mine in that goes on the hob or plate warmer.
Butter/Oil in the bottom and into the oven to heat up, then when you want to pour the batter in put it on the hob with heat and pour the batter in. Pan must stay hot. Put it back into the oven and don't open for at least 25-30 minutes (depending on size) it must rise and stay like that for as long as possible. If you open the door it will sink.

I normally do 115g flour, pinch salt, 1/2 pint of liquid (2 or 3 bantham eggs and fill up to half pint with milk) - mix together and put in fridge for at least an hour. Works well for pancakes to - you can either make it thicker or thinner depending on your taste. As alternative use pinch of sugar instead of salt for sweet batter. Oh throw in sweetcorn and it's sweetcorn fritters in an instance.

Sorry to waffle on

Thanks and please waffle away

We get whatever we are given with potatoes. They come in the veg box and no choice. I might buy some extra ones, waxy, though and give it a try. Thanks for the Y-Pud ideas. Our oven is not brilliant which may also be part of the problem.

Yes I aree that a waxier potato would be better than a floury one for these. Try a Charlotte or a Maris Bard. Maybe you could try grating the potatoes when they are almost done as opposed to cooking them fully then mashing roughly? I find this website is a good resource for all things potato and has lots of recipes too:

britishpotatoes.co.uk

The best thing is to mash the potato the day before as leaving it in the fridge over-night dries it out.

I tend to do it by feel ie I just add flour to the mash until it feels like I could roll it out and it not stick, that's not very helpful to you though is it?

Yorkshire puds? I can make them but I cheat and buy ready made ones my boys like Tidgy Puds for their cuteness. 3 mins in the oven.