1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub a 3 1/2-quart baking dish with garlic, and butter generously. Add the garlic cloves to the dish. Arrange potatoes in layers in baking dish, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper, and dotting with butter. Pour cream over potatoes. Dot top with any remaining butter.

2. Bake until golden and bubbling and potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until the top is brown, about 10 minutes more. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving.