Cheese And Potato Perfection: The Best Cheeses For Dauphinoise

Dauphinoise is a classic French dish of thinly sliced potatoes cooked with cream and garlic. While it is not traditional to add cheese to the dish, many recipes do, with popular options including cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, blue cheese, and colby.

Gruyère and parmesan

Gruyère is a popular choice of cheese for dauphinoise, with some recipes also including parmesan. Gruyère is a hard, nutty, aged cheese that pairs well with the cream and potatoes in a dauphinoise. It is also a good melting cheese. Parmesan, on the other hand, is a salty, tangy cheese that adds a sharp flavour to the dish.

Gruyère is a traditional choice of cheese for dauphinoise, but some recipes omit cheese altogether, as it is not usually included in the classic French version of the dish. However, adding cheese is a popular way of adapting the recipe.

When making a dauphinoise with Gruyère and parmesan, it is important to slice the potatoes thinly and evenly. This ensures that they cook at the same rate and that the dish has a consistent texture. It is also important not to use waxy potatoes, as these will not break down properly and will affect the texture of the dish. Instead, choose starchy or floury potatoes such as Russet, Maris Piper, or King Edward.

To assemble the dish, layer the potatoes with a mixture of cream, milk, garlic, and herbs. Some recipes also include parmesan in this mixture. Repeat the layers until all the potatoes are used, then top with more cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and the potatoes are soft.

For an extra crispy top, remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking. If making ahead, dauphinoise can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven, but the dish will be drier and the potatoes softer.

Cheddar

To make a Dauphinoise with cheddar, you will need the following ingredients:

• Butter (for greasing)
• 1kg of potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
• A large bowl of cold water
• 300ml of double cream (US - heavy cream)
• 4 cloves of garlic, grated or crushed
• 6 sprigs of thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 50g of cheddar cheese or more if you like a really cheesy topping! (You can use gruyere instead, if you prefer)
• Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C fan / gas mark 3 / 325F. Lightly grease a baking dish with butter.
• Peel the potatoes and slice them finely – you are aiming for 2-3mm (⅛ inch) thick. Don't worry if they aren't perfect, this recipe is very forgiving!
• As soon as you have sliced each potato, place the slices in a large bowl of cold water.
• Mix the cream, garlic, ¾ of the thyme leaves, salt and pepper together in a jug.
• Layer the potatoes and the cream mixture: a layer of potatoes first, then a couple of tablespoons of the cream mixture, then another layer of potatoes, then another layer of cream and so on, until all the potatoes have been used. Finish by pouring all the remaining cream over the top of the last layer of potatoes. Try to keep each layer as flat as possible and don't overlap the potatoes too much.
• Cover the dish tightly with foil and place in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, turn the oven up to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F, then remove the potatoes from the oven and take off the foil. Scatter with the cheese and the remaining thyme and return the potatoes to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Blue cheese

To make blue cheese dauphinoise, start by peeling and thinly slicing your potatoes. Aim for slices that are around 2-3mm thick. Place the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning.

Next, prepare the cream mixture by combining double cream, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil for a minute to thicken, then turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. If you're feeling fancy, you can also add a white onion, thinly sliced, to the cream mixture.

Once the cream mixture is cool enough to touch, remove the garlic and thyme. Drain the potatoes and add them to the cream, making sure to combine well.

Now it's time to layer your dauphinoise. Line an oven-proof dish with parchment paper and start layering the potatoes, slightly overlapping each slice. In between each layer of potatoes, crumble in some blue cheese and season with salt and a little cream. Continue layering until you've used up all your potatoes, then pour any remaining cream over the top and sprinkle with more cheese.

Cover the dish with parchment paper and bake at 170°C for 40 minutes. After this initial bake, remove the paper and return the dish to the oven for another 20-30 minutes at the same temperature, until the top is golden.

If you want to get fancy, you can add a weight on top of the dauphinoise after it's baked. Simply add another layer of parchment paper and use a tray that fits inside the potato dish, adding equal weights or rice to compress the layers. This will help you achieve the perfect layers. Leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or overnight if you're patient! Then cut into portions and reheat at 170°C for about 15 minutes.

Bacon and triple cheese

Ingredients:

• Butter, for greasing
• 500ml semi-skimmed milk
• 300ml double cream
• 2 garlic cloves, bashed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• 6 large (about 900g) Maris Piper potatoes, thinly sliced
• 50g Parmesan, grated
• Cheddar, grated
• Gruyère, grated

Method:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and grease a shallow baking dish with butter.
• Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan, add the garlic, tip in the potatoes and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and let the garlic infuse and the potatoes cool while you cook the bacon.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the lardons. Cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes until they are turning crispy.
• Using a slotted spoon, start layering the potatoes onto the base of the dish until completely covered (remove the garlic cloves when you spot them).
• Spoon over some of the cream mixture, a little cheddar, parmesan and gruyère, and scatter on some of the bacon. Season well and repeat until you have used up all the potato.
• Pour over any remaining cream and scatter with the remaining cheese. Reserve some of the bacon for topping later.
• Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through (insert a skewer or knife and check there is no resistance) and the topping is golden.
• Scatter with the remaining bacon for the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Tips:

• For the best texture, use floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edwards (or Russet in the US). Avoid using waxy or ‘new’ potatoes.
• If you want to get ahead, you can assemble the dish, cover and keep in the fridge for up to a day before baking.
• For a lighter version, use light fat, or half milk and half cream.

Thyme and rosemary

Preparation

Before adding thyme and rosemary to your dauphinoise, you will need to grate or crush a few cloves of garlic directly into the cream mixture. You can then add the herbs of your choice. In this case, you will be adding thyme and rosemary. You can use fresh thyme and rosemary or dried versions of the herbs. If using fresh herbs, you will need to remove the thick stems before baking the dauphinoise.

Amount

The amount of thyme and rosemary you use will depend on your personal preference. However, it is important to note that too much of either herb can overwhelm the dish. It is recommended to use a small amount of each herb, and then adjust to taste. You can always add more, but you can't take it away!

Presentation

When presenting your thyme and rosemary dauphinoise, consider garnishing with a few fresh sprigs of the herbs. This will add a pop of colour and freshness to the dish.

Frequently asked questions