When you are planning to make dauphinoise potatoes, you might wonder what you need to do if you have some leftovers. You need to know whether you can freeze them or not.
Can you freeze dauphinoise potatoes? Yes, you can. You can freeze them without cheese sauce, with the sauce, or even before cooking them.
Why do you need to do that? And what steps do you need to learn for freezing the potatoes? Let’s find out more!
What is Dauphinoise Potato?
Dauphinoise potatoes are a type of french fries that are cooked in oil and then baked, resulting in crispy on the outside, soft inside. They are typically served with gravy or cheese sauce.
Dauphinoise potatoes can be made from any variety of potatoes but they are most commonly made from russet potatoes.
What is dauphinoise potato made of?
Dauphinoise potatoes are made of two parts: The first part is the cooking process which involves frying the potatoes in hot oil to create a golden-brown crust. The second part is when the potatoes are put into an oven for baking.
How long does it take to make dauphinoise potatoes?
It takes about 30 minutes to make potato dauphinoise at home. This includes frying the potatoes, draining them, putting them into an oven, and then finally taking them out.
Can You Freeze Dauphinoise Potatoes?
How to freeze leftover dauphinoise potatoes?
You can freeze your dauphinoise potatoes by placing them in airtight containers and freezing them. Once frozen, you can store them in the freezer until needed.
Without cheese sauce
If possible, choose this option. To avoid the cheese sauce splitting, freeze the dauphinoise without the sauce.
- Cook your dauphinoise potatoes. You can add everything to the dish except the dairy (cheese sauce).
- Allow the potatoes to cool completely. Be careful to adjust your temperatures and timings to allow for the lack of sauce.
- Wrap the dish in several layers of cling film. This is to keep it airtight.
- Put it into the freezer and freeze. Don’t forget to label the date and contents.
With cheese sauce
Of course, you can freeze dauphinoises fully assembled. It won’t be quite as good, but it is much simpler.
- Cook your dauphinoise potatoes (including the sauce).
- Allow the dish to cool completely.
- Wrap the dish well. Don’t forget to make sure the dish is freezer-safe first.
- Label the potatoes with the date and put them into the freezer.
Can you freeze uncooked dauphinoise potatoes?
Yes, you can. You need to half-bake it first for about 45 minutes. Store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 weeks for best results.
You can also freeze them in the dish they were baked in, but cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
How do you defrost dauphinoise potatoes?
If you want to use the dauphinoises, you can defrost them by putting them in the fridge overnight and letting them thaw out fully.
If you didn’t add your sauce to the potatoes, you can add the cheese sauce once the potatoes have thawed out. Then reheat them in the oven or microwave.
Can you reheat frozen dauphinoise?
Yes! Here are the steps:
- Remove from the freezer and let it defrost. They can be cooked from frozen or straight out of the freezer at 180°C for 30 minutes or until piping hot.
- Remember they are already cooked so you are only heating them up.
Tips for freezing it
Now you know how to freeze dauphinoise with and without the cheese sauce, here we give several recommendations for the best results:
- Cream and cheese are not the ideal ingredients for freezing. When you freeze it, it will split and turn into a grainy texture. Instead, make your sauces fresh and pour them over when serving.
- To ensure you protect your dish of Dauphiné well, wrap it in multiple layers of cling film and tin foil first. Don’t let air get in!
- Don’t rush the thawing process; don’t hurry it. Instead, let them defrost slowly overnight so they’re ready when you need them.
How long can you freeze it?
Because of how easily this dish can degrade and change while frozen, we would recommend that you only keep it frozen for up to a month.
After this, you are in danger of having the taste of the dish change as well as the texture.
Can you refreeze it?
You can certainly re-freeze any leftover dauphinoise. However, because it’s so easy to spoil, we wouldn’t advise doing it more than once.
Can you re-bake dauphinoise after freezing?
Yes! If you have already frozen your dauphinoise and would like to bake them again, you will need to defrost them first. To defrost, place them in the refrigerator overnight.
How do I serve my dauphinoise?
You can serve your dauphinoises as soon as they come out of the oven. However, if you want to keep them longer, you can place them back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
How to Make Dauphinoise Potatoes at Home?
There are many ways to make dauphinoise at home, including using a deep fryer, stovetop, and even a slow cooker.
Here’s how to make dauphinoise potatoes at home:
Ingredients
- 500ml double cream or heavy cream
- 500ml milk
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 large waxy potatoes (King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes)
- 100g grated gruyère cheese (optional)
Method
- Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
- Add 500ml double cream, 500ml milk, and 3 garlic cloves into a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer.
- Slice 8 large potatoes very finely. You can use a mandoline or an attachment on a food processor.
- Add them to the cream and simmer for 3 mins until just cooked.
- Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon. Put the potatoes into a wide shallow ovenproof baking dish so that they’re about 5cm deep.
- Pour over the garlic-infused cream (discarding the garlic) over the potatoes. Let it seep through the layers and leave a little moisture on the surface.
- Spread over 100g grated gruyère cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and golden brown. If the dish isn’t brown enough, increase the heat for another 5 minutes.
FAQs
Can you freeze dauphinoise potatoes once cooked?
Yes, you can freeze them once they’ve been baked. Just follow the same instructions above, but instead of putting them in an ovenproof dish, put them straight into a freezer bag.
Does potato gratin freeze well?
Yes, you should be able to freeze gratin potatoes without any problems. Simply follow the same instructions above.
Can you cook and reheat dauphinoise potatoes?
Yes, you’ll find that reheating is no problem. Follow the same instructions above, except use a microwave rather than an oven.
Why do my dauphinoise potatoes curdle?
If your dauphinoise potatoes curdle, then there could be two reasons for this. The first reason is that you may not have added enough liquid. It’s important to ensure that you pour all of the cream and milk mixture over the potatoes, otherwise they won’t absorb enough liquid.
The second possible cause is that you didn’t let the cream and milk mixture boil before adding the potatoes. This means that when you add the potatoes, they haven’t had time to absorb any of the liquid yet. Therefore, the potatoes end up being too wet.
What can I eat with dauphinoise potato?
Dauphinoise potato is a delicious perfect side dish served alongside roast chicken. Alternatively, try serving it with roasted vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and leeks.