Anna Olson Makes a Croque Monsieur Bake! | Oh Yum

This savoury bread pudding, also called a strata, is a great way to use up leftover ham!
The basis of this bake, a croque monsieur, is a French version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich-but the sandwich is topped with a béchamel sauce, sprinkled with cheese, and broiled. This bread pudding, made of assembled ham and cheese sandwiches, has the same finishing feature.
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• Recipe Information •
**Make Ahead Note: You can assemble the bread pudding, without the béchamel, the day before you wish to bake it, adding about 20 minutes to the bake time to compensate the chill. Refrigerate it, covered, overnight. You can also refrigerate the béchamel sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often, for about 8 minutes to soften it before spreading it over the pudding.
Serves 8 to 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Bread Pudding:
1/4 cup (60 g) butter
1 clove garlic, minced
12 thick slices day-old French bread
1 ¼ cups (135 g) coarsely grated old Cheddar cheese
1 ¼ cups (135 g) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups (240 g) diced cooked ham
1/4 cup (60 mL) grainy mustard
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups (825 mL) 2% milk
1 cup (250 mL) half-&-half cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Béchamel:
2 Tbsp (30 g) butter
2 Tbsp (17 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) 2% milk
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (110 g) coarsely grated Cheddar and Gruyère cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Prepare the pan. For the bread pudding, melt the butter with the garlic and brush it over the bottom and sides of a 12-cup (3 L) casserole dish. Brush any remaining garlic butter onto the slices of bread.
3. Assemble the sandwiches. Toss the cheeses, ham and mustard together. Arrange 6 of the bread slices on a work surface and spoon the ham mixture over them. Cover with the remaining bread slices, making sandwiches. Depending on the size of your dish (and the bread), you may want to cut the sandwiches in half. Arrange them in the casserole dish (they can overlap a bit.)
4. Make the custard. Whisk the eggs and then whisk in the milk and cream, salt and pepper until evenly combined. Pour over the sandwiches and press them down with a spatula to encourage the bread to soak up the liquid.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce.
6. Make the béchamel. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes until the mixture smells slightly nutty but has not changed colour.
7. Add a third of the milk and whisk until smooth (it will thicken up quickly). Whisk in the remaining milk and the cream and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat until ready to use.
8. After the croque monsieur has baked for 45 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
9. Spoon the béchamel sauce evenly over the sandwiches, spreading it if needed. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese has browned and the pudding is bubbling and puffy at the edges.
10. Let the bread pudding cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Spoon onto plates and serve warm.
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#OhYum #CroqueMonsieurBake

[@joyherting3705]

When I was in cooking school one of my friends and I were typically the ones making lunch for everybody, this sandwich was one of the things we made. This would be great for the holidays you could have it prepped ahead of time, so you just have to put in the oven. Or after the holidays when you have all that leftover ham

[@gloriavera7863]

We like in advance coz we know u never disappoint 🙂

[@gus24x24]

Please teach us how to make that bread! It looks so good!

[@rlynvicente4313]

Anna I hope one of this days you can teach us how to make Porto's famous Cheese Roll.

[@mmakomanyatja5213]

Anna thank you so much for the good recipe always

[@kdtarabell]

I am getting ready to make your famous butter tarts just made pecan squares

[@pierre6625]

Love your videos and the explaination why you do what you do. Great and easy to folow. Thank you.

[@marthaasami242]

I was salivating too. Looks just amazing!

[@diani.5675]

Desde hace un tiempo, tu eres mi inspiración para cocinar, sobre todo para mis hijas...gracias por eso. Some time ago...you are my inspiration to Cook for my babys girl...thanks for that.🤗

[@nazarenko_alla_54]

Спасибо Вам огромное за прекрасный рецепт 🥰❤️🙏👍👍👍👍

[@lizzygomzvlove3662]

It looks so yummy ,I'm a fan of yours all the way from Philippines..been watching you on cable tv.

[@floculinary]

Greetings from Borneo, Malaysia. Love watching your videos, great presentation. You are the best. 👍👍❤❤❤❤ Merry Christmas to all celebrating. 🌲🌲❤

[@soniavlogs4041]

Delicious 😋

[@SaibHealthyFoodsRecipes]

Wow 🥺😳

[@crafthappycolourssmile8582]

Very yummy..thanks for recipe👍❤😋😋😋

[@wardahawsawi]

Delicious!

[@bayanon7532]

This just looks decadent! I stumbled across you looking for an oatmeal-raisin cookie recipe, found it here and then saw this thing of wonderfulness. Thank you. Be going to the market in the morning after the cookies come out of the oven. Just subscribed. Yum !!

[@raquelgallo7228]

Love the blouse!

[@NURAMALINA92]

Yummy 😍😋😋😋

[@kushlaniratnaweera2921]

I love to watch your videos.

[@syedaafshan159]

Will be good 👍

[@carrieknoth4346]

I have some new French friends (say that there times) and I'm going to dazzle them with this dish. I felt like I could actually smell it cooking as she built the layers. That's a sign! I'm making it.

[@sylvie8088]

they might have trouble finding them as being the French croques monsieur... Cooking is made to be creative.

[@cathychats]

Where can I purchase that cute pink pan? Link please… :D

[@sobamonkey]

A savory bread pudding, absolutely amazing looking. Question, is there a reason to cutting butter on an angle?

[@joellloyd2064]

I think she did that because she was weighing it. I don’t think cutting it on an angle serves a purpose as far as I know

[@sobamonkey]

@@joellloyd2064 Yeah, didn't understand either. But thanks for "weighing" in.

[@aareavis]

What's the difference between bechamel sauce and country gravy?

[@blancaadame7247]

😋😋😋

[@ajjukakitchen7103]

So tasty waooo 😋❤️🥰❤️👍

[@foodbyhanan8639]

تسلم الأيادي رائع

[@adamkeener6106]

Interesting concept. Cut the sandwiches in half, line them in the dish “sideways,” double the bechamel, add more cheese at the final bake. Needs nutmeg as well. Looks amazing no matter what!

[@HamCubes]

Amen to every suggestion! 👌

[@beckygarcia3755]

New kitchen

[@cookwithneeruchopra7571]

Wow

[@dyfustifications]

Side note: even people without a sense of smell can make sauce bechamel. 🙃

[@litoboy5]

cool

[@tammiemartinez6485]

I've wanted to make this ever since I saw the movie It's Complicated. However this is not the way it looks in the movie. In the movie you see the Ex husband pick up a piece of the CM. Also in the movie it looks like she made it as singles and used a baking tray (a cookie sheet) to bake it on. So what gives? Are there different variations to making this amazing looking treat??

[@lbc8662]

This is a casserole variation, not the true French preparation, nothing wrong with that, right? It has all the same ingredients as the French sandwich, minus dijon mustard on the bread which is sad, because it helps cut the richness of the other ingredients, and nutmeg (I never add it, can't stand the stuff). This is simply a faster, less fussy method for beginners or home cooks who might be short on time. PRO TIP: when you get a piece of the casserole on your plate, top it with an over easy fried egg. The egg turns it into a play on Croque Madame. The runny yolk on the bread with the béchamel and ham is absolutely beautiful. I hope this helped!

[@biloz2988]

Anna my dear, Béchamel sauce is not a white sauce

[@KC-es9fd]

Indeed it is!

[@biloz2988]

@@KC-es9fd white sauce is sauce blanche in French Bêchamel sauce is roux plus cream seasoned with nutmeg. The taste is what distinguish the two.

[@haldorasgirson9463]

So are you single? Asking for a friend.

[@joellloyd2064]

She’s married

[@dlee3710]

I don't like these videos because the picture changes every three seconds. Not very instructional.

[@zippyustar6350]

No pig please use anything else still works mushrooms and leeks three cheeses 💡🔜😉

[@nikodimser8225]

For long time I can't find good recipe on thic channel.😢👎👎👎

[@youtubestaffaretrash9258]

That is not what you claim, it's just a fancy grilled cheese how did you mess it up so bad it's supposed to be crunchy, not covered in cheese like a trash fire casserole.

[@hipopotani]

no way!!! leave the savory staff away. this is a disgrace!!!

[@HamCubes]

Both sweet and savory recipes that use up day-old bread have been around since Christ was corporeal. Even though I still have the palate of a five year-old, I would try this in a New York minute! 😊

[@lynnwilhoite6194]

@@HamCubes This looks good, but I can’t eat bread pudding of any kind. I can’t stomach wet bread.

[@hipopotani]

@@HamCubes if you don't know the real deal, please don't talk about IT!