Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and grease a muffin tin with some of the butter.
Use a mandolin slicer to scallop the potatoes to ⅛ inch thick. Slice them on the short side and ensure they are not larger than the holes in the muffin tin.
Melt butter in a saucepan or in the microwave, and mince the garlic cloves very finely. Pick the fresh thyme leaves from the stem and roughly chop.
In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to mix the scalloped potato slices with the melted butter, thyme, and garlic. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
Stack the buttery garlic potato slices in each cavity of the muffin tin, with larger ones at the base tapering up to smaller ones on the top to imitate the shape of rose petals.
Bake the garlic potato roses for 35-45 minutes until crispy and golden brown at the edges, and a sharp knife inserted into the top goes in easily.
Serve immediately or leave in the tray to reheat later.
Notes
Yukon Gold or Vivaldi potatoes are my favorite varieties to use for this side dish.
Use the guard on the mandolin slicer if you value your fingers.
These potato roses reheat very well, leave them in the muffin tray and when ready, just pop them back in the oven with a little knob of butter on top until they are sizzling.
You can use rosemary instead of thyme if you prefer, or even sage.
I normally allow 2 potato roses per person. You can easily scale this recipe up or down to suit you, and any leftover potato slices can be baked in a shallow dish.