Individual Dauphinoise Potato Gratins

• 1 kilo potatoes, medium
• 40 grams butter
• 200 ml heavy cream, 6.5 oz
• 1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or fresh
• sea salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 spring onion

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
• Place the muffin tin in the oven to warm while you prepare the potatoes.
• Wash and peel the potatoes.
• Slice the potatoes very thinly—use a mandolin if you have one. The slices should be flexible enough to bend without snapping.
• Remove the warmed muffin tin from the oven and divide the butter into ten small cubes, placing one in each cup.
• When the butter has melted and spread across the base, begin layering the potato slices. Use the larger slices first at the bottom and add a sprinkle of sea salt every five layers. Spread the slices out to avoid packed stacks.
• As you approach the top of each cup, switch to smaller slices and overlap them to form the rosebud shape. Push the edges down slightly so the slices close together.
• Finish each stack with 5–6 overlapping slices, leaving a small gap at the center.
• Combine the cream, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Spoon the cream mixture over each stack until the cream is visible near the top. You may need to return and top up a few times so each cup has enough liquid.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, until the stacks are golden and the edges are crisp.
• Let the potatoes rest for 15–20 minutes to set; this helps them hold their shape when removed.
• Loosen each stack with a knife around the edge and lift gently with a spoon to remove from the tin.
• Finish with chopped spring onion or extra thyme before serving.

Nutrition