The Coconuts Recipe Corner: Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks

 

Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks 

(Muffin Tin)

BY:Nagi, PUBLISHED:6 Nov '21

https://www.recipetineats.com/cheesy-potato-gratin-stacks-muffin-tin/

These adorable Potato Gratin Stacks are the mini version of Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise). Layers of thinly sliced potato baked in a muffin tin with cream, cheese, garlic and thyme, the best bit are the crusty caramelised cheesy edges!

Serve as a potato side for dinner. Breakfast with eggs. Party food bites. So many possibilities!

Mini Potato Gratin Stacks (Dauphinoise)

All you need to know is that these Mini Potato Gratin Stacks are cheesy, creamy and ridiculously irresistible. I mean, let’s be blunt. Potatoes + cheese + cream + garlic + butter. BAM! That’s a home run right there!

Actually, they’re a mini version of French Potato Gratin / Dauphinoise. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – everything is better in mini form, not just because it’s cute. But because you get the whole thing to yourself.

Right? 

Besides not having to share, making these in mini form means you get nice golden cheesy edges on each piece which might be my favourite part. No golden edges when you make Dauphinoise the usual way!

What you need to make Mini Potato Gratin Stacks

Here’s what you need to make these:

• Potatoes – Use starchy or all-rounder ones so they become fluffy when cooked and absorb flavour. Sebago (the common dirt brushed potatoes in Australia), Russet (US), Dutch creams, King Edwards and red delight are all ideal.

  If you use waxy potatoes, the layers sort of slip apart when you cut into them.

  Shape – Opt for long thin ones so you have less offcuts when trimmed into a cylinder shape to cut slices that fit the muffin thin.

• Cheese – Gruyere and Swiss cheese are my favourites here, for their melting quality and flavour. Any cheese that melts will work just fine – cheddar, Colby, tasty cheese. I tend not to use mozzarella because it doesn’t have as much salt / flavour as other cheese but you can if you wish.

  Shredded and sliced – I find it best to use slices of cheese between the potato layers and shredded cheese on top.

• Cream – Thickened / heavy cream works best because it’s thicker so it pools on the layers better.

• Garlic – For flavour, to infuse the cream sauce.

• Thyme – Classic herb flavouring for Dauphinoise.

Ingredients

• ▢Oil spray
• ▢1.2 kg / 2.4 lb starchy potatoes , large long ones (Note 1)
• ▢30g /2 tbsp butter , unsalted
• ▢2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• ▢1/2 cup heavy / thickened cream
• ▢1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 tsp dried)
• ▢1/2 tsp salt
• ▢Black pepper
• ▢75g / 2.5 oz gruyere cheese sliced into 12 squares to fit into muffin tin (or other melting cheese, Note 2)
• ▢3/4 cup gruyere cheese (or other melting cheese), shredded

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (all oven types).
• Brush muffin tin with butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat then use what you need to lightly brush the muffin tin holes with butter. (Remaining butter is for the cream sauce)
• Cream sauce: Into the remaining butter, add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add cream and salt then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from stove and keep warm.
• Slice potato: Peel potatoes. Trim base so it stands upright. Then cut into cylinder shapes that fit tge muffi tin. Cut into 2mm/ 1/10" slices using a mandolin or sharp knife.
• Assemble stacks: Place potato slices into the muffin tin so they go halfway up the muffin tin holes. Try to match by size to make them into neat stacks.
• Cream: Drizzle each potato stack with 1 tsp of cream mixture – use 1/2 of the mixture.
• Cheese slice: Top with cheese slice.
• Top with potato, cream then thyme: Top each stack with remaining potato slices so the height is about 1cm / 1/3" above the rim of the muffin tin (they sink once baked). Drizzle with remaining cream mixture and sprinkle with most of the thyme (reserve some for topping).
• Baked 40 minutes: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until potato is cooked through. A small sharp knife should go through without any resistance.
• Top with cheese, bake 10 minutes: Remove from oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake without foil for 10 minutes or until golden.
• Garnish with thyme: Sprinkle with remaining thyme.
• Stand 5 minutes then remove to serve. Use a tablespoon or butter knife to help scope them out. (Note 3)
• To Serve: Dinner – serve as a side. Finger food – serve warm as is. Breakfast – serve with eggs and bacon.

Recipe Notes:

1. Potatoes – You need to use starchy or all rounder potatoes as they breakdown when cooked, becoming nice and fluffy on the inside. The layers won’t stick if you use waxy potatoes. Best to use are Sebago (dirt brushed potatoes in Australia), Russet (US), Dutch creams, King Edwards, golden delight, coliban and red rascal all work great.

Shape – Get long large ones that are suitable to cut into cylinder shapes.

2. Cheese – Any melting cheese works just fine here, though gruyere is my favourite for flavour and melting qualities. Swiss follows as a close second, followed by Colby and Monterey Jack, then cheddar and tasty cheese. I tend to give mozzarella a miss because it doesn’t have as much flavour as the other cheese.

3. Make ahead – Fantastic for making ahead! Bake per recipe then either freeze them (defrost before reheating) or keep them in the refrigerator. Them pop them in a 180C/350F oven for 10 minutes just to heat through.
Watch How To Make It

ENJOY!

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