Dauphinoise Potatoes

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Heat the oven to 170°C fan, 190°C conventional or gas mark 5 for about 10 minutes; it should be fully preheated.

2. 2

   Prepare the dish

   Rub the cut garlic over a 3-litre baking dish about 20 x 30 cm and at least 6 cm deep, then butter the base and sides until evenly greased.

3. 3

   Slice the potatoes

   Peel the potatoes and slice them evenly about 3 mm thick; do not rinse, so the surface starch can help thicken the cream.

4. 4

   Warm and season the dairy

   Warm the cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring until steaming but not boiling.

5. 5

   Layer the potatoes

   Arrange the potato slices in overlapping layers in the prepared dish, pour over the warm dairy and press gently; the liquid need not cover the potatoes.

6. 6

   Cover and bake

   Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 170°C fan, 190°C conventional or gas mark 5 for about 75 minutes, until a knife begins to pierce the potatoes in the centre.

7. 7

   Uncover and finish baking

   Remove the foil and bake at the same temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and a knife passes easily through the centre.

8. 8

   Rest before serving

   Rest at room temperature for 15 minutes; the cream should settle and the layers should hold together when served.

Tips

• Use a baking dish of about 3 litres, around 20 x 30 cm and at least 6 cm deep, to accommodate the potatoes and dairy without overflowing.
• The liquid does not need to cover the potato layers; press them gently into the dairy before baking.
• Allow about 95 to 105 minutes of baking, plus 15 minutes resting. Oven and potato varieties vary, so use a knife to check tenderness.

Swaps

• Use another waxy potato variety of similar size.
• For a richer result, replace up to 100 ml of the milk with double cream.

Storing

Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 170°C fan or 190°C conventional oven until piping hot throughout.