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Le Chaudron recipe
Croque-monsieur enfants
Kid-friendly baked ham and cheese croque-monsieur
⏱ 15 minServes 4Easy420 kcal
A recipe from Le Chaudron — the cooking of France’s regions.
01 — Ingredients4 servings
16 slicessandwich bread
8 slicesFrench cooked ham
300 g (11 oz)grated cheeseEmmental or Gruyère
100 g (3½ oz)unsalted butter
60 g (2 oz)all-purpose flour
500 ml (2 cups)whole milk
1 pinchnutmeg- 100 g (3½ oz)extra grated Gruyèrefor the topping
3 tbspolive oil
1 tspfleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
1 tspfreshly ground pepper
- 16 slices sandwich bread
- 8 slices French cooked ham
- 300 g (11 oz) grated cheese Emmental or Gruyère
- 100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter
- 60 g (2 oz) all-purpose flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 100 g (3½ oz) extra grated Gruyère for the topping
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Quantities scaled for — some (egg, lemon, garlic…) are rounded to what’s practical.
Serves 4. In the app, quantities adjust to the number of guests on their own — and the ingredients go straight to your shopping list.
03 — Method
- The CROQUE-MONSIEUR is THE French bistro classic, and kids love it. This homemade version uses a creamy béchamel that keeps it soft inside and crisp outside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) convection. Make the BÉCHAMEL: melt 60 g (4 tbsp) butter in the medium saucepan over low heat until it foams lightly, without browning. Add the flour all at once and whisk into a roux.
- Cook the roux 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly, without letting it color. Pour in the warm milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Keep whisking over medium heat for 5 minutes until thick.
- Season the béchamel generously with fleur de sel and pepper. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Off the heat, whisk in 150 g (1½ cups) grated cheese until melted.
- This cheesy Mornay sauce is the heart of a croque-monsieur. It should be thick enough to cling to the bread without making it soggy.
- SPREAD 8 slices of bread on one side with the Mornay sauce. Top each with 1 folded slice of ham. Sprinkle generously with the remaining grated cheese.
- Cover each with a second slice of bread. Spread the TOP with a little more Mornay sauce and sprinkle with the extra Gruyère for a golden, crisp crust.
- Arrange the 8 sandwiches on the large parchment-lined sheet. Bake 12 MINUTES at 200°C (400°F) convection until the tops are DEEP GOLDEN and the cheese is bubbling.
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