Low Sugar Pommes Anna
Pommes Anna is one of those classic French dishes that looks impossibly elegant but comes down to just a handful of honest ingredients — potatoes, clarified butter, thyme, and salt. The magic is in the technique: thin-sliced Yukon Golds layered in overlapping circles, pressed and baked until the whole thing becomes a golden, crispy-edged cake that unmolds like a showstopper. Because the recipe relies entirely on the natural starch of the potato to bind the layers, there's no need for anything sweet — not even a trace — making it a genuinely clean, no-compromise option for anyone keeping added sugar completely off the table. Clarifying the butter before you start is a small extra step that pays off big, giving you a richer, more golden crust without any of the milk solids that can burn. The fresh thyme scattered between each layer perfumes the whole cake as it bakes, and a handful of flat-leaf parsley on top adds a bright, herby finish. Serve it in wedges straight from the pan while it's still crackling and hot — this one doesn't wait around.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes. Skim the white foam from the surface and carefully pour the clear golden liquid into a small bowl, leaving the milky solids behind — you should have about 4 tbsp clarified butter.
- 2
Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the peeled potatoes into rounds approximately 1/8-inch (3mm) thick. Do not rinse or soak the slices — the surface starch helps the layers bind.
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