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Traditional Dauphinois Gratin

Name: Traditional Dauphinois Gratin
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 portions
Ingredients: 1,5 kg Potatoes (firm or melting flesh); 400 ml Heavy cream; 300 ml Whole milk; 2 cloves Garlic (one for the dish and one for the cream); 20 g Butter (for the dish); 1 pinch Nutmeg (freshly grated); 8 g Salt (adjust to taste); 2 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

A creamy and melting dauphinois gratin, prepared with thinly sliced potatoes, cream, milk, garlic and a touch of nutmeg.

25 minPrep

1 h 40Total

6Servings

EasyDifficulty

About 475 kcal per serving

Ingredients

Portions

Potatoes (firm or melting flesh)1,5 kg
Heavy cream400 ml
Whole milk300 ml
Garlic (one for the dish and one for the cream)2 cloves
Butter (for the dish)20 g
Nutmeg (freshly grated)1 pinch
Salt (adjust to taste)8 g
Black pepper (freshly ground)2 g

Preparation

Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to traditional heat.
Prepare the dish
Cut a garlic clove in half and carefully rub the bottom and sides of a large gratin dish. Then generously butter the dish.
Slice the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, then cut them into even slices. Do not rinse them in order to preserve their starch.
Prepare the cream mixture
Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the second finely chopped garlic clove, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Heat gently until the first simmering signs appear, without boiling.
Assemble the gratin
Arrange the potato slices in even layers in the dish. Gradually pour the hot milk and cream mixture over them, making sure it is evenly distributed between the layers.
Bake
Bake until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a knife and the top is nicely golden.
Let rest
Remove the gratin from the oven and let it rest before serving.

Tips & tricks

Choose firm or melting-flesh potatoes, such as Charlotte, Monalisa or Agata.
Do not rinse the potatoes after slicing them in order to preserve their starch, which helps thicken the sauce.
Cut the slices to an even thickness, ideally using a mandoline.
Let the gratin rest after baking to make serving easier.

Variations

Replace part of the cream with milk for a lighter gratin.
Add a thin layer of grated cheese on top for a more gratinated version, although the traditional recipe does not contain any.
Add a few sprigs of thyme or a bay leaf to the milk and cream mixture.
Replace part of the potatoes with celeriac for a more vegetable-forward flavor.

Storage

Store the cooled gratin in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it in the oven, covered with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Freezing is possible, but the texture of the potatoes may become slightly grainy.