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Cheesy Mini-Potato Gratin Stacks

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Ingredients
  

  • Cooking spray
  • 2-½ pounds Russet potatoes
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or ¾ tsp. dried
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2-½ ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, sliced into 12 squares to fit into muffin tin
  • ¾ cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter; lightly brush the muffin tin holes with butter; there will be butter remaining which will be used for the cream sauce.
  • Into the remaining butter, add garlic; cook for 20 seconds.
  • Add cream and salt; bring to a simmer; simmer for 30 seconds; remove from the stove and keep warm; set aside.
  • Peel potatoes; trim the base so it stands upright; using a mandolin or sharp knife, cut into 1/10-inch cylinder shapes that fit the muffin tin.
  • 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.
  • Drizzle each potato stack with 1 tsp. of the cream mixture; use 1/2 of the mixture.
  • Top with cheese slice.
  • Top each stack with remaining potato slices so the height is about 1/3-inch 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).
  • Cover loosely with foil, place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until potato is cooked through; a small sharp knife should go through without any resistance.
  • Remove from the oven; top with cheese; return to oven and bake 10 minutes more.
  • Remove from oven again; sprinkle with shredded cheese; return to the oven and and bake, without the foil, for 10 minutes or until golden.
  • Remove from the oven; sprinkle with remaining thyme.
  • Let stand 5 minutes before serving; use a tablespoon or butter knife to help scoop out of muffin tin.

Notes

Fantastic for making ahead - bake per recipe then either freeze (defrost before re-heating) or keep in the refrigerator; pop in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 10 minutes just to heat through.