Potato Dauphinoise (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between dauphinoise and gratin? ›

Potatoes au gratin are slices of pre-cooked (usually boiled) potato cooked in cream and topped with cheese which makes the gratin. Gratin Dauphinoise, on the other hand, is a dish made of thinly-sliced (not pre-cooked) potatoes that cook in cream. Dauphinoise traditionally does not contain any cheese.

Lift off the foil and sprinkle the cheese, if using, over the top – though it's not very French, you could substitute the gruyere for parmesan (in which case, use a little less) or even a mild cheddar, if you prefer.

Place on a baking tray on the middle shelf of a preheated oven (Electric 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6) for CHILLED: 40 mins. FROZEN: 60 mins. Leave to stand for 1 minute before serving. Ensure product is thoroughly cooked and piping hot throughout.

The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

Put simply, potatoes dauphine (pronounced "do-FEEN") are deep-fried potato puffs while potatoes dauphinoise ("do-fin-WAHZ") means baked scalloped potatoes.

They appear to share French origins; potato gratin is the Americanization of the French potatoes au gratin, and in American English gratin de pommes de terre Dauphinoise has become dauphinoise potatoes. Scalloped potatoes generally do not have cheese, whereas potato gratin and dauphinoise potatoes do.

Technically, a knockoff of Alpine Emmentaler, American Swiss is made with pasteurized cow's milk and has smaller “eyes” and milder flavor. For a low price and convenience, it's a sturdy Gruyere alternative. In a real bind, other mild, semi-firm cheeses like Wensleydale or Edam could stand in for Gruyere.

Gouda is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that has roots in the Netherlands. It's best known for its wide range of uses and flavors depending on how long it's been aged. If you're in a pinch, you can use younger gouda in place of Gruyère since it melts easily, but just know that it won't have the same flavor.

The French Le Brouère cheese, made in nearby Vosges, is considered a variant of Gruyère.

Although very rich itself, I think dauphinoise potatoes works really well with rich meats such as roast lamb, steak or beef shortribs. However, it will also go perfectly with baked salmon (you could add a little lemon zest to the salmon to cut through the creaminess of the potatoes).

Why are my dauphinoise potatoes runny? ›

If your roasting tray is too small the liquid won't reduce as quickly, so be sure to pick a large one. Also, don't forget to simmer on the hob for 5 minutes (step 4) before baking. If your dauphinoise is too watery, pop the pan back onto the hob after baking and simmer to reduce to your desired consistency.

Yes, you can reheat food more than once.

Don't rinse – the potato starch helps thicken the sauce

Some recipes say to rinse and dry the potatoes before stacking, but we found that by cutting out this step, the starchy potato water helps thicken the cream as it cooks.

One method to avoid this is to peel the potatoes, place in water covering the potatoes, remove and slice on a cutting board with a knife that is steel (some blades have iron in them and till will turn the potato dark). Then place back in water, drain and dry before cooking on a shallow aluminum tray.

I don't recommend soaking the potatoes in water ahead of time for our potatoes au gratin (as some recipes call for). Soaking them will cause them to lose some of their starch, which helps to keep this dish creamy.

The great potato dauphinoise truly epitomises comfort food. One of the classic potato dishes, this gratin takes its name from its place of origin, the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. Everyone loves it but many might not cook it at home.

Potato Gratin is often a term used interchangeably with dauphinoise potatoes. Any baked dish of thinly sliced vegetables cooked with cheese and butter is generally a gratin. Potato gratin can be made with a creamy sauce, sometimes with the inclusion of onions, garlic and/or breadcrumbs.

Potatoes dauphinoise is made with thicker slices of potatoes arranged in a shallower baking dish and has a larger proportion of liquid to the potatoes. Potato pavé uses very thin slices of potato and layers them in a precise manner in a loaf pan so the dish is taller and the slices almost melt into one another.

A gratin is a dish that is topped with cheese, or bread crumbs mixed with bits of butter, then heated in the oven or under the grill until brown and crisp. The terms au gratin or gratinée refer to any dish prepared in such a manner.