Dauphinnoise potatoes or Pommes Dauphinoise is a traditional French dish named for the region in which it was developed, the Dauphiné region, and this entire region is known for developing a wide variety of au gratin dishes. Sounds like a place I would like to visit. This dish combines layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a rich cream sauce. Ooo la la! Now although the original recipe did not contain cheese, the modern version does… Gruyère to be exact and it is truly scrumptious.
This is a very simple, homey French recipe, so do not allow the fact that it is French intimidate you one bit. You should absolutely make this. You will love it. I promise.
To get started, you will need to peel and thinly slice a bunch of potatoes. I used 4 small yukon golds and 3 large russet potatoes. If you have a mandolin, use it! If not, just do your best to cut them thinner than 1/4 of an inch.
Now bring 500ml of whole milk and 500ml of heavy cream to a simmer in a large pot. 500 ml is a little over 2 cups and you will see later that being precise with this measurement is not too important. To the milk and cream, add 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and a big pinch of salt and black pepper.
Once the cream mixture begins to simmer, add all of the potatoes. You may need to do a little shifting around to get everyone to fit in, but they do not need to be completely submerged. They will simmer for about 5 minutes, so half way through, shift the top potatoes down a bit, so everyone gets a chance to be covered in the cream.
While the potatoes are simmering, grate up a big hunk of gruyère. I really recommend grating your own, because sometimes a coating is added to shredded cheese that prevents it from sticking together and this also prevents it from melting beautifully, so grate your own gruyère. You will also need some fresh thyme and a baking dish. This recipe is meant to fill a 10×10″ baking dish, but something close is fine. Liberally butter your baking dish and gather everything together leaving space for the simmering potatoes to move in.
After the potatoes have simmered for 5 minutes, transfer them over to a flat heat proof surface and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, we assemble!
Using a slotted spoon, add one half of the potatoes into the base of the dish. We are not adding the cream sauce yet, so allow it to drain off before transferring the potatoes. Next, add half of your shredded gruyère (about 1 cup) and then top with the remaining potatoes.
Once the potatoes are all stacked inside the dish, spoon enough of the cream sauce over the potatoes to come near the top of the dish. You will not be adding all of the cream and some potatoes will not be covered (photo below).
Now cover everything with the rest of your gruyère and place the dish on the middle rack of your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. I suggest placing a baking sheet on the rack under your dauphinoise dish just in case some of the cream bubbles over. You’ll know it is done when the top layer of gruyère is all melted and golden brown.
Transfer the dish onto a cooling rack and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it. This gives the cream sauce time to set up a bit and then your potato layers will not scatter when you scoop them out. While your dauphinoise potatoes are cooling off, strip some leaves off of a few thyme sprigs and sprinkle them over the top.
It’s beautiful isn’t it? Just begging to be enjoyed next to some crispy roast chicken and a scoop of apple sauce. This dish is creamy and so flavorful. The cream sauce gets all thick while it bakes and reaches into all of the layers of potatoes and the gruyère is nutty and salty and just bold enough to offer a little something special. A big dish of dauphinoise potatoes is easy enough to make for a casual dinner, but special enough to serve at any dinner party. I hope you enjoy making these beautiful potatoes, because I know you will enjoy eating them.
Dauphinoise Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large russet or yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- 500 ml whole milk
- 500 ml heavy cream
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups gruyère, shredded
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- a pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Place 500ml of whole milk and 500ml of heavy cream into a large pot and bring to a simmer
- Add garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix to combine
- Add thinly sliced potatoes and simmer for 5 minutes
- Butter a 10x10" baking dish
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes into the base of the dish, leaving the cream behind
- Add 1 cup of gruyère over the first half of the potatoes
- Add the remaining potatoes
- Spoon in enough cream to come to about 1/2 inch from the top of the baking dish (see photo above)
- Top with the remaining gruyère
- Bake at 350 degrees on a middle rack for 40-45 minutes
- Allow the dish to cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves before serving
