Croque Madame Recipe
Make Croque Madame Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Sandwich
Béchamel Sauce
Fried Eggs (for Madame)
Finishing
Method
Béchamel Sauce
- 1
Warm the milk
Place the 2 cups of milk in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until steaming but not boiling; keep warm while you make the roux.
- 2
Make the roux
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture turns pale and smells slightly toasty, but does not brown.
- 3
Finish the béchamel
Gradually whisk the warm milk into the roux in a steady stream to avoid lumps. Continue whisking over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.
Assemble Sandwiches
- 4
Preheat oven and prepare bread
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly butter. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice with the softened butter (about 3 tablespoons total). On the unbuttered side of 4 slices, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard (about 1 tsp total).
- 5
Build the sandwiches
On the mustard-spread slices, layer 2 slices of ham per sandwich (8 slices ham total for 4 sandwiches) and about 1 cup grated Gruyère split evenly among the 4. Top each with the remaining bread slice, buttered side out. Press gently to compact.
- 6
Top with béchamel and cheese
Place sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon a generous layer (about 2–3 tablespoons) of warm béchamel over the top of each sandwich, spreading to cover. Sprinkle each sandwich with the remaining 1/2 cup grated Emmental/Gruyère and an optional 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan for extra browning.
Bake and Finish
- 7
Bake until golden
Bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the béchamel is bubbling. For a deeply browned top, switch to broil (grill) on high and broil 1–2 minutes, watching constantly to avoid burning, until the top is golden and slightly crisp.
- 8
Fry the eggs
While the sandwiches bake, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet (work in batches if needed) and cook until the whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 2–3 minutes for sunny-side up. Season each egg with a pinch of salt and a little black pepper.
- 9
