Preheat the oven to 375F/190C (can be a bit higher or lower if you are cooking other things that have a different temperature).

Peel the potatoes if you prefer or if thicker skinned. Remove any dark 'eyes' and slice them into relatively thin slices, around ⅛in/2-3mm thick. Finely dice the garlic.

In a relatively small baking dish, place slices of potato in a layer over the bottom, trying to leave as few gaps as possible.

Scatter on some of the garlic, a little salt, pepper and thyme, if using. Then pour over some cream to give a thin coating but not so the potatoes are swimming.

Repeat with more layers of potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and cream until you have used all of the potatoes. As you layer them, try to place the potatoes in different positions so you fill the gaps and don't have holes all the way through.