Description
Creamy julia child potatoes dauphinoise reveal French culinary elegance with layers of thinly sliced potatoes, rich cream, and cheese. Comfort and sophistication merge in this classic gratin that will transport diners straight to Parisian kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) starchy potatoes (russet, sebago, maris piper)
- 2.5 cups gruyere cheese, freshly grated (or colby, cheddar, havarti, tasty)
- 1.5 cups full-fat cream
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsps fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Ignite the oven to 180°C (350°F), establishing the perfect thermal environment for a luxurious potato gratin.
- Cream Mixture Creation: Whisk melted butter, heavy cream, and finely minced garlic in a mixing jug until harmoniously blended, forming the flavor foundation.
- Potato Transformation: Meticulously cleanse and strip potatoes, then slice into uniform 1/8-inch rounds using a mandoline or precision knife, ensuring consistent culinary execution.
- Dish Conditioning: Generously lubricate a rectangular baking vessel to prevent adherence and facilitate seamless serving.
- Strategic Layering: Construct a potato foundation by meticulously arranging slices in an overlapping mosaic, then cascade the cream elixir, allowing it to infiltrate between delicate potato layers.
- Seasoning Ritual: Dust each stratum with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried thyme, calibrating flavor profiles with measured precision.
- Cheese Integration: Disperse grated cheese across layers, creating pockets of melting decadence that will transform during thermal exposure.
- Moisture Sealing: Envelop the baking dish with aluminum foil, trapping internal humidity and promoting uniform heat distribution.
- Thermal Transformation: Bake for approximately 75-90 minutes, periodically testing potato tenderness with a sharp knife, allowing the gratin to evolve into a creamy masterpiece.
- Crisp Finale: Unveil the dish, crown with remaining cheese, and return to the oven, transforming the surface into a golden, bubbling landscape of culinary perfection.
- Resting Phase: Permit the gratin a brief 5-minute respite, allowing layers to harmonize and structural integrity to stabilize before presentation.
Notes
- Slice Consistently: Use a mandoline or sharp knife to cut potatoes precisely 1/8-inch thick, ensuring uniform cooking and elegant presentation.
- Layer Carefully: Build potato layers methodically, allowing cream to penetrate between slices for maximum flavor absorption and creamy texture.
- Monitor Baking Time: Check potato tenderness after 1 hour by inserting a knife; cooking duration might extend to 1.5 hours depending on potato thickness and oven variations.
- Rest Before Serving: Allow gratin to rest 5 minutes post-baking, which helps layers stabilize and makes cutting and serving smoother without losing structural integrity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg