Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin dauphinois is France's most luxurious potato dish: paper-thin potato slices layered with garlic-infused cream and baked until meltingly tender with a golden, bubbling top. It turns any roast into a feast.

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hr

Total time

1 hr 20 mins

Servings

6 servings

Calories

480

Ingredients

• 1.2kg waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled
• 500ml double cream
• 200ml whole milk
• 2 garlic cloves, 1 halved and 1 minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 50g Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp butter, for the dish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Rub the baking dish with the halved garlic clove and butter it generously.
2. Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible, about 2mm — a mandoline is ideal. Do not rinse them; the starch thickens the cream.
3. Warm the cream and milk with the minced garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg until steaming.
4. Layer the potato slices in the dish, overlapping slightly, pouring a little of the hot cream between layers.
5. Pour over the remaining cream, pressing the potatoes down so they are submerged.
6. Scatter the Gruyere over the top and bake 55-60 minutes until golden and a knife slides through easily.
7. Rest 15 minutes before serving so the layers set.

Pro tips

• Thin, even slices are everything — uneven slices cook unevenly.
• Do not rinse the potatoes; their starch is what makes the gratin creamy.
• The rest is essential for clean, neat slices.
• A mandoline with a guard keeps fingers safe.

Frequently asked questions