Best Ever Twice Baked Potatoes

These are the BEST twice baked potatoes!  I found the recipe on the "Once Upon a Chef" blog after looking for a recipe for ones that didn't spread out when baking.  I make these every Christmas Eve for our traditional dinner.  These were perfect and I think the key is using a hand potato masher rather than an electric mixer and the added egg yolks to the mixture is key to their perfection.    

5 large russet potatoes, scrubbed, rinsed and dried

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I use the block, not the prepackaged).

Garnish:  6 slices of bacon cooked until crispy and broken into pieces.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Prick each potato a few times with a fork.  Place on the baking sheet and rub with potatoes with the oil and sprinkle all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.

Bake until tender 60 - 70 minutes.  Let sit until cool enough to handle, 5 - 10 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise.  Scoop the flesh from each potato to within 1/4 inch of the skins.  (I use a melon scoop for this process).  Place the flesh in a large bowl.  Discard 2 of the scooped potato skin halves (preferably the least perfect ones) and place the remaining 8 potato skin halves back on the baking sheet.  (By doing this it will ensure that you will have enough potato to fill the skins).  

Add the butter, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper to the hot potato flesh in the bowl.  Using a POTATO MASHER, mash until the butter is melted and the potatoes are broken down.  Add the heavy cream and mash until the cream is incorporated and the potatoes are creamy.  Add the egg yolks and mash until evenly combined.  Using a spatula, stir in the cheese.

Spoon the filling into the potato skins, mounding slightly in the center.  Sprinkle each potato with crispy bacon bits.

Return to the oven and bake until the filling is heated through and slightly crispy on top, 20 to 25 minutes.