Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.

Boil the potatoes from cold in well-salted water until just tender to a fork, but not cooked right through. (Salt gives the bland potato more flavor and makes them cook faster.)

Drain well and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onions, garlic, and bacon until the onions are soft and both are beginning to brown.

Tip in the wine, bring to a simmer and reduce to nearly nothing.

Take off the heat and stir in the cream or crème fraîche.

Cut the potatoes into roughly 1 centimeter rounds or  cubes, your choice. (I prefer rounds.)

Optional: Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and sauté the potatoes until golden. This additional step reduces the subsequent baking time to 15 minutes.

Cut the cheese in half horizontally.

(This recipe assumes you will do this, but an alternative method is to slice the Reblochon as thinly as you can consistent with not making a mess of yourself and your kitchen, and then cover the whole of the top of the dish before baking.)

Cover the base of an ovenproof dish with half the potatoes. Spoon over half the onion and bacon mixture and season well with salt and pepper.

Repeat the layers, and finish by putting the Reblochon, rind uppermost, on top.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until browned and bubbling. Keep checking to see if the potatoes are cooked.