Festive Gratin Dauphinois
I feel like French food is one of the best things to enjoy during the holidays—it just makes the season feel extra special. Now, God knows I love a good mashed potato, but when you want something a little more chic and elevated to serve with your turkey or roast, gratin dauphinois is your girl.
Before making it for the first time, I was super hesitant, and even doubtful that I would like it. It just seemed SO unnecessarily rich, buttery, and creamy. But, alas, once again, the universe has proven that there’s no such thing as too much butter. Imagine my surprise when, after making it, I was completely and utterly obsessed. Thanks to the saltiness of the Gruyère, and the large proportion of potatoes to cream, this dish is just the right amount of indulgent, and not the kind where you can only have two bites before your stomach’s upset. .
Another fallacy I ended up debunking for myself upon testing this recipe, was that it was going to be complicated and fussy to make. I feel like French food can get a bad rep, being perceived as something complicated and time-consuming. But!! This gratin may be one of the easiest recipes I’ve made lately. Seriously. You can assemble it in the pan in under 15 minutes (less, if you have a mandolin!) and you can just pop it on the oven to bake while you clean up and make the rest of the food. So easy, right?
It’s up to you how you want to arrange your potato layers, but if you have an extra 5 minutes to make a cute pattern, I think it’s totally worth it. I chose to go with a spiral:
I think this recipe is truly a keeper! And its bound to make any holiday meal feel extra special :)
As always, if you make this please DM me a pic on Instagram @vanillabeandiaries and let me know what you thought in the comments below! I’d love to see how it turns out. Xoxo <3
Festive Gratin Dauphinois
*Serves 4-6
Ingredients
4 tbsp salted butter, room temperature and cut into mini cubes
900 g potatoes, peeled
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole nutmeg
1 1/4 cups grated Gruyère cheese
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 tbsp thyme leaves, from fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 300 °F / 150 °C, with a rack in the middle. Using 1 tbsp from the butter, grease a 10 or 9 inch shallow baking dish, about 2 inches deep. Set aside.
2) If your cream is fridge cold and/or thick, place in a small saucepan and over low heat, warm it up until it is hot and liquid, but not boiling or simmering. This will take 1-2 minutes, so just stir it gently and keep an eye on it so you don’t accidentally scald it. Once it’s warmed up and liquified, set aside.
3) Slice your peeled potatoes into think rounds, on their narrowest side, with the help of a mandolin (you can also use a sharp knife!). Divide them into two equal piles.
4) Arrange the first half of your potato slices evenly onto your prepared baking dish. I like doing a spiral pattern, starting from the outside and working my way in! Once the first layer of potatoes is laid down, evenly sprinkle 3/4 tsp salt over the surface, as well as a good amount of freshly grated black pepper, and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg, about 10. *I love the taste of nutmeg with the cheese and the cream, so I usually add a more generous amount, but add however much you like! Sprinkle half of your grated Gruyère over the potatoes, and finish the first layer by dotting it with 1 1/2 tbsp of your butter, cut into small cubes and evenly distributed over the surface. Repeat this process with the remaining potatoes, cheese, butter and spices, so you end up with the cheese and butter on top. The gratin will look very cream-heavy, but this is normal, since the potatoes need a liquid to cook in.
5) Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them and lowering the heat of your oven if needed so the cream does not boil, as this will curdle it. You’ll know the gratin is done when the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, they’re absorbed the cream, and the top is a nice golden brown. If the top is browning too fast into the cooking process, lower the temp slightly and tent the top with aluminum foil.
6) Once done, remove immediately from the oven. Let sit 5 minutes before serving, then sprinkle the thyme leaves over the top. You may be tempted to skip this, but trust me when I say the thyme takes the flavor of this recipe to another level! Enjoy hot.
