There’s something deeply satisfying about a gratin where thin slices of potato and apple stand on edge, side by side, in the gratin dish, with the Camembert slowly melting down between them. The combination might sound unusual, but it’s an old favourite of Nordic cooking: the tart apple cuts through the rich cheese, and the potato holds the whole thing together.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
In the air fryer, you also get a golden, bubbling surface that a regular oven would need far longer to build up. The dish is intended as a side for roast meat or game, but it can easily carry an evening on its own with a crisp salad on the side.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love potato and apple gratin with Camembert in the air fryer
When the slices stand on edge instead of lying flat, the hot air reaches every single edge. That’s the whole point of building the gratin this way: the air fryer works with powerful circulating heat, and a flat layer would shade itself. Standing on edge, the top turns crisp and caramelised, while the bottom steams tender in the cream and apple juice.
The Camembert isn’t just for decoration. The slices are tucked down between the potatoes so the cheese melts from the inside and spreads through the gratin dish instead of just browning on top. That gives a creamy binding with no flour or roux at all, and the rind adds a light mushroomy note that pairs surprisingly well with the tartness of the apple.
The difference between an air fryer and an oven
An oven first has to heat up the whole space before it really starts working on the food. The air fryer only has the basket to deal with, and the fan sits close by. That’s why the gratin can run at 160 °C and still finish faster than it would in the oven. The low temperature is a deliberate choice: the potato slices need time to become tender all the way through before the surface is allowed to take on colour. Only for the last 10 minutes is the temperature raised to 185 °C, and that’s when the top gets its golden edge.
My kitchen test of potato and apple gratin with Camembert
I’ve made the gratin several times in my Cosori Dual Blaze, and the method has ended up in the same place every time: 160 °C for most of the time and 185 °C for the last 10 minutes. In total, the dish takes 65 minutes from when I take out the potatoes to when it’s on the table — around 20 minutes of preparation, 40 minutes of cooking, and 5 minutes of resting.
The resting time is non-negotiable. Cut into the gratin dish straight away, and the cream runs out all over the plate. After five minutes, it has settled, and the gratin holds its shape when you lift out a piece. My first attempt, incidentally, ran the whole way at the high temperature, and it was a useful lesson: the top looked beautifully dark long before the potatoes in the middle were tender.
Slice the potato and apple on a mandoline to exactly the same thickness. Even slices are the only real guarantee that everything becomes tender at the same time.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The mistake I see most often is slices that are too thick. The potato should bend slightly when you lift it — if it’s thicker than that, the apple risks collapsing completely long before the potato is tender. The second classic mistake is too large a gratin dish: the slices need to stand close together and support each other, and if there’s a gap between them, they topple over into a flat layer, so you lose the whole crisp edge. The third mistake is putting all the Camembert on top from the start, because then the cheese burns long before the gratin is done. The cheese belongs down between the slices, and if you want a golden top from it, add it when the temperature is turned up for the last 10 minutes.
How to serve potato and apple gratin with Camembert
The gratin is intended as a side, and it has the most to offer when the rest of the plate is a touch sharp in flavour:
- Roast or braised game — venison, fallow deer, or wild boar
- Pork rib roast or neck fillet with crispy crackling
- Oven-roasted chicken with thyme and lemon
- A hearty green salad with walnuts and a tangy mustard dressing to balance it out
- Toasted rye bread crumbs sprinkled on just before serving
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep for three days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheating in the air fryer at the same 160 °C is clearly best — give it a few minutes until the surface is crisp again and the cheese is bubbling, and cover the top loosely with foil along the way if it’s already nicely browned. The microwave, on the other hand, turns the whole thing soft. The gratin can be frozen, but the cream splits easily on thawing, so I’d rather save it for the next day than for next month.
Potato and apple gratin with Camembert is the kind of side that steals the attention from the main course, and that’s perfectly fine. Pack the slices tightly, keep the temperature low until the finish, and give it the five minutes of resting — then the air fryer takes care of the rest.
FAQ
A mealy baking potato like Asterix or King Edward is best. It soaks up the cream and binds the gratin, while the slices still hold their shape when standing on edge. New potatoes contain too much water and easily turn compact.
Choose a tart, firm apple like Belle de Boskoop, Cox Orange, or Granny Smith. The acidity balances the rich Camembert, and a firm apple won’t collapse along the way. Very sweet varieties turn to mush and make the dish taste flat.
Yes. You can assemble the gratin dish a couple of hours ahead and keep it chilled, but only pour the cream over right before it goes into the air fryer — otherwise the apple releases water and the bottom turns soggy. If the gratin dish comes straight from the fridge, allow a little extra time at 160 °C.
Recipe
Potato and apple gratin with Camembert in the airfryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Oven-safe dish - Must fit in the airfryer basket
- 1 Aluminum foil
Shopping list
Ingredients
Gratin
Cream mixture
For the dish
- 1 tbsp butter (For greasing the dish)
How to make it
Preparation
- Peel 700 g waxy potatoes and cut them into 2-3 mm thin slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Place the slices in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the rest, so they don’t turn brown.
- Cut 2 pcs tart apples into quarters, remove the core and cut them into equally thin slices with the skin on. Cut 200 g Camembert into thin slices lengthwise, so they can stand between the potato slices.
- Grease an oven-safe dish that fits in the airfryer basket thoroughly with 1 tbsp butter — including up the sides.
Layering the dish
- Drain the potato slices and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Stand the slices on edge in the dish in tight rows, alternating between potato, apple and Camembert, so the cheese is spread all the way through. Pack the rows tightly so the gratin holds its shape during baking.
- Pour the cream mixture evenly over the gratin so it seeps down between the slices. Press lightly on top with a spoon so all the slices get wet with the cream.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. The foil traps the steam so the potatoes become tender without burning on top.
Cooking in the airfryer
- Preheat the airfryer to 160 °C fan.
- Place the dish in the basket and bake the gratin covered at 160 °C for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, turn up the heat to 185 °C and bake the gratin for a further 10 minutes, until the Camembert is golden and bubbling. Check that the potatoes are tender by inserting a sharp knife into the middle — it should slide through easily. If the slices are still firm, give the gratin another 5 minutes.
Serving
- Let the gratin rest for 5 minutes outside the airfryer. The cream will set, and the gratin can be cut into neat pieces instead of spreading out.
- Serve the gratin warm straight from the dish as a side dish.
Our notes for the recipe
The slices should be the same thickness — 2-3 mm — otherwise some will turn tender while others are still raw. A mandoline is the easiest way to do this. Always pat the potatoes dry after soaking, so the cream doesn’t turn thin. Variation:
Use a ripe Taleggio or a mild blue cheese instead of Camembert if you want more flavour. A few slices of smoked ham tucked between the rows turns the gratin into a light main course. Serving:
The gratin goes well with roast meat, game and roast duck. Serve a crisp salad with walnuts and a tangy dressing on the side to cut through the richness of the cream. Portion size:
If your airfryer is smaller, you can divide the gratin between two small dishes and bake them in two batches.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
