Gratin dauphinoise is a traditional French dish made of potato wedges and a creamy sauce that is very rich in flavour. To produce the perfect texture, the traditional gratin dauphinoise recipe uses heavy cream as one of the ingredients. However, for most people who are on a diet or want to live a healthy lifestyle, heavy cream is full of fat and bad cholesterol so it should be avoided. Luckily, gratin dauphinoise can still be served in your kitchen without the need for heavy cream! Instead, you can replace it with a mixture of nonfat milk or even plant-based milk, a little butter, and a variety of herbs that are rich in flavor, but much healthier!
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- Olive oil in a spray bottle
- 6 medium-sized golden Yukon potatoes
- 2 tbsp. (28 grams) butter, melted
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- tsp. (1 gram) garlic powder
- 162 grams Gruyere cheese, finely grated
- 273 ml nonfat milk
- 1 bay leaf or bay leaf
- 2 tsp. (3 grams) thyme leaves
- tsp. (½ gram) grated nutmeg
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Oven and Baking Pan
Step 1. Preheat the oven
To make sure the oven is hot enough to bake gratin, don't forget to preheat it. Set the oven to 220°C and heat it until it is completely uniform.
Step 2. Rub a clove of garlic all over the surface of the pan
To make gratin, you need to prepare a shallow baking dish. After that, rub a clove of garlic all over the surface of the pan to enrich the flavor of the gratin when it's cooked.
- Ceramic pie or tart pans are the best options.
- After rubbing all over the surface of the pan, the garlic can be removed or processed into other dishes.
Step 3. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil
Hold the bottle of olive oil at a distance of 13 to 15 cm from the surface of the pan, then spray the entire surface of the pan with oil. Be careful that the spray of oil does not interfere with the taste and aroma of the garlic in the pan.
Part 2 of 3: Creating Gratin Layers
Step 1. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes
To make the gratin, you will need to prepare 6 golden Yukon potatoes, peel the skin, then use a very sharp knife to slice them no more than 3 mm thick.
- Potatoes are the right thickness if they look like potato chips when fried.
- If you want, you can use a mandoline (a vegetable cutter) to slice the potatoes so that they are more uniform in shape and size.
Step 2. Combine potatoes, butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder
Place the potatoes in a large bowl, then add 2 tbsp. melted butter, tsp. garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients until the surface of the potatoes is evenly coated with the spices.
Step 3. Arrange the potato wedges and cheese in the pan
Take half a portion of potato wedges and try to arrange them in a thin layer so that the potatoes don't overlap. After that, pour about 81 grams of grated Gruyere cheese over the surface of the potatoes, and place the remaining potatoes back on top of the cheese layer.
Step 4. Bring the milk, thyme, bay leaf, and grated nutmeg to a boil
Add 273 ml of nonfat milk, bay leaf, 2 tsp. thyme leaves, and tsp. grated nutmeg into a small saucepan. Then, heat the solution over medium heat until it boils, about 5 minutes.
If you want, you can also use lactose-free milk or plant-based milk, such as soy milk. However, because plant-based milk tends to be thinner in texture, your homemade gratin won't be as thick and rich as traditional dauphinoise gratin
Step 5. Pour the milk solution over the surface of the potatoes
Remove the pan from the stove and pour the milk solution over the entire surface of the gratin. Remember, the whole potato wedge must be completely submerged in the milk solution!
Step 6. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the surface of the potatoes
Pour the remaining grated cheese (about 81 grams) over the potatoes until they are completely evenly distributed.
Part 3 of 3: Cooking Dauphinoise Gratin
Step 1. Cover the tin with aluminum foil and bake the gratin until the potato has softened
Once the layers of gratin are laid out, cover the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake the gratin until the potato is soft when pierced with a fork, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 2. Remove the aluminum foil and bake the gratin again for another 10 minutes
Once the potatoes are soft in texture, remove the aluminum foil and return the pan to the oven. Continue baking until the layer of cheese on the surface of the gratin begins to brown.
Step 3. Let the gratin dauphinoise rest for a few minutes before serving
Remove the gratin from the oven once the surface begins to brown. After that, place the gratin on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes until the texture is slightly firm. Delicious gratin ready to be served while warm!
