Potato Dauphinoise is a miniature rendition of a French classic that brings forth the rich tapestry of flavors, marrying the simplicity of potatoes with the elegance of cream and a touch of fragrant thyme
Shred your gruyère and parmesan and combine making sure to separately reserve 1/2 cup of your parmesan.Wash and peel your potatoes.
Check that they fit in your muffin tin.
If they don't, use a knife or peeler to shape them to your muffin tin.
Pat your potatoes dry and use a mandoline or knife to slice them into 1/16" thick slices.Set your peeled potatoes aside. Do not cover them in water. We want to keep all that starch to thicken our cream when cooking.
Add your butter to your pan on medium heat. Lightly crush your garlic by hitting your whole cloves with the back of your knife or a mallot. Once the butter is melted, add in your garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add in your milk, cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme. Let simmer for 4 minutes.
Add in your potatoes and cook on low medium for 4 minutes.
Layering
Add about 1/2 tsp of your cream mixture to the bottom of the muffin tin. Add a layer of 4-6 potatoes from the cream.
Add about about a tbsp of your gruyère and parmesan mixture.
Add another layer of 4-6 potato slices, a 1/2 tsp of cream, and finish off with about another tbsp of your cheese.
Repeat this process until all are filled. Cover with aluminum and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove aluminum and top each with parmesan and broil for 2 minutes or until golden.