How many ways do I love twice baked potatoes. They are absolutely the perfect food. They are, in fact, a meal all by themselves. I take mine to the next level. We’ve got the potato, the cheese, a little bacon, shallot….bechamel! Yup, I add a special bechamel sauce to these. It’s absolute perfection!
When preparing, I don’t wrap these in foil. While I sometimes do that when making a plain potato, I am not really looking to steam the potato. I want the outside to be crispy. I love the skin and these are the perfect potato to eat the whole thing.
I rub the outside of the clean russet with a little olive oil and then salt, a HEAVY dose of salt. Once they are finished and you are ready to cut, scoop and fill, most of the salt will fall off so don’t worry that it will be too salty to eat.
I cover my baking sheet with aluminum foil prior to the initial bake. Remove this and change after you cut the potatoes. Then place back on the pan, with the fresh foil to fill the potato, cover with bechamel and then top with cheese.
These are the perfect side for your Christmas dinner or just that special ‘date’ night at home. The recipe below is for two large Russets. Adjust the ingredients as needed for more potatoes. When you get to the broil stage, you can broil your potatoes to get a crustier top than my pictures. We love them slightly crusty but still very gooey.
The Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Russet Potatoes
- 1 Shallot
- 3 Slices Bacon
- 2 Tbsp Flour
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1¼ Cup Whole Milk
- ¼ Cup Cheddar Cheese grated
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 Cup Gruyere Cheese grated
- 1 Tbsp Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Sour Cream
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- Salt/Pepper To taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Finely chop shallot.
- Fry bacon to crispy, remove from pan and then fry shallot in bacon grease. Drain.
***Bechamel- Start once potatoes are finished.
- Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Once melted, add flour. Whisk constantly for 3 minutes.
- Add milk slowly, while whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Add nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste, continuing to whisk.
- Add parmesan and cheddar cheese, whisking until smooth.
Finishing Potatoes
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Cut the potatoes down the center, making a pocket. Carefully scoop out the center of the potatoes.
- In mixing bowl, add potato, cream cheese, sour cream, shallot/bacon mixture. Combine. Salt/pepper to taste.
- Stuff potatoes with mixture.
- Drizzle bechamel on top of potatoes.
- Top both potatoes with ½ Cup Gruyere cheese. Bake in the over for 15 minutes.
- Turn oven to broil and continue to cook until the cheese is brown to your liking.
- Serve.
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