Ah, Gratin Dauphinois — the classic French potato gratin, creamy, garlicky, and perfectly silky. 🥔🧄🧈 Here’s a traditional recipe that’s rich but approachable.
Gratin Dauphinois
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (about 1 kg) potatoes, thinly sliced (Yukon Gold or similar waxy potatoes work best)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 large clove)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup grated Gruyère or Emmental cheese (optional — traditional can be without cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven
- 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Prepare Potatoes
- Peel and slice potatoes 1/8-inch thick. Uniform slices ensure even cooking.
- Make Cream Mixture
- In a saucepan, combine cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Warm over medium heat until steaming (do not boil).
- Assemble Gratin
- Layer half the potatoes in the dish.
- Pour half the cream mixture over them.
- Repeat with remaining potatoes and cream.
- Sprinkle cheese on top if using.
- Dot the top with butter.
- Bake
- Cover with foil, bake 45 minutes.
- Remove foil, bake an additional 30–40 minutes, until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown.
- Insert a knife into the center — it should slide through easily.
- Rest
- Let gratin sit 10–15 minutes before serving. This helps it set.
Tips
- For extra creaminess: Soak sliced potatoes in warm cream 10–15 min before baking.
- Cheese optional: True Dauphinois is often without cheese, just cream and garlic.
- Flavor variations: Add fresh thyme, a bay leaf while cooking, or a dash of white wine to the cream.
If you want, I can also give a shortcut stovetop-to-oven version that cooks faster while keeping it silky and cheesy, perfect for weeknights.
Do you want me to do that?
