Fromage De France Recipe

1. Preheat oven and prepare dish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Butter a shallow 1-quart (about 1 L) baking dish or 6–8 ramekins thoroughly so the custard will release easily.

2. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for a water bath (bain-marie). You will use hot water to bake the custard gently.

3. Warm milk and cream

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm until it just begins to steam and tiny bubbles form at the edge, about 4–5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk eggs and seasonings

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard, fine sea salt, grated nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and slightly frothy, about 30 seconds.

5. Temper eggs with warm milk

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the warmed milk mixture into the egg mixture in a steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking to combine thoroughly.

6. Melt soft cheeses into custard

Return the saucepan to very low heat. Add the room-temperature goat cheese and cubed Brie. Stir constantly with a heatproof spatula or whisk until the cheeses have melted and the custard is smooth and coats the back of the spoon, about 3–5 minutes. Avoid boiling — keep the temperature low so the eggs don’t scramble.

7. Finish with grated cheese

Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the grated Comté (or Gruyère) and chopped thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if desired.

8. Strain and fill dish

For the smoothest texture, pass the cheese custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the buttered baking dish or individual ramekins, using a spatula to press it through. This removes any stray bits of rind or curd.

9. Prepare water bath and bake

Place the filled baking dish into a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour the hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the outside of the dish(s). Bake at 325°F (160°C) until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 30–40 minutes for a 1-quart dish or 20–25 minutes for ramekins. Check at the earlier time to avoid overcooking.

10. Cool slightly

When done, remove the baking dish from the water bath and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 10–15 minutes; the custard will continue to set. If using ramekins, you can serve warm or at room temperature.

11. Sprinkle the surface lightly with coarse sea salt and an extra crack of black pepper. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

12. Serve warm with thin baguette slices or crackers alongside. The texture should be silky and spreadable — guests can spoon or spread the fromage onto bread.

13. Leftovers: cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. To reheat, warm gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven covered with foil until just warmed through or microwave in short bursts, stirring between, to avoid separation.