Croque Monsieur · Classic

Classic Croque Monsieur

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“How do I fold?”, “What does temper mean?”, “What are soft peaks?”
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Before you start

Gather your ingredients

2 tbsp butter
Swaps for butter
Instead of butter
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp oil for every 4 tbsp (¼ cup) melted butter. Cakes and muffins come out moister and stay soft longer, without a buttery taste.
More for butter

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
1 cup whole milk
Swaps for whole milk
Instead of milk
- Unsweetened soy milk: The same amount. The closest plant milk for baking: its protein helps things brown and set.
- Unsweetened oat milk: The same amount. Creamy and mild with a hint of sweetness.
- Unsweetened almond milk: The same amount. Thinner and less rich, so cakes are a little paler and drier.
All 5 swaps for milk

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Swaps for ground nutmeg
Instead of nutmeg
- Ground mace: A little less. Made from the same fruit; slightly sharper.
- Pumpkin pie spice or allspice: The same amount. Warmer and more cinnamon-forward.
More for nutmeg
¼ tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
More for salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
8 slices sandwich bread, a sturdy white loaf
2 tbsp butter, softened
Swaps for butter
Instead of butter
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp oil for every 4 tbsp (¼ cup) melted butter. Cakes and muffins come out moister and stay soft longer, without a buttery taste.
More for butter

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
1 ⅓ tbsp Dijon mustard
Swaps for Dijon mustard
Instead of mustard
- Another prepared mustard: The same amount. Yellow is milder and more vinegary; Dijon is sharper; whole-grain adds texture; spicy brown is in between.
- Dry mustard: 1 tsp dry mustard + 1 tsp water + 1 tsp white wine vinegar for each 1 tbsp. Sharper and less smooth.
More for mustard
8 oz deli ham, thinly sliced
6 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded, about 2 cups, divided

Step 1 of 9

Heat the oven to 400°F and

line (how to line a pan)

Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid

a sheet pan with parchment.

400°F

Step 2 of 9

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat,

whisk (how to whisk)

Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid

in the flour and cook, whisking, without letting it brown.

Step 3 of 9

Slowly

whisk (how to whisk)

in the milk and cook, whisking, until the sauce is thick enough to

coat a spoon (how to coat the back of a spoon)

Coat the back of a spoon A simple test for when a sauce or custard has thickened enough. 1. Dip a spoon into the sauce and lift it out.2. Turn it over and look at the back.3. Draw a line through the sauce on the spoon with your finger.4. If the line stays clean and the sauce doesn't run into it, it is ready. Done when: The sauce clings in an even, opaque layer and your finger line holds. Safety: Let the spoon cool for a second before you touch it; custards should reach 160°F.How to tell when a sauce coats a spoon: mistakes to avoid

Step 4 of 9

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the cheese until smooth.

Step 5 of 9

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Lay 4 slices buttered side down on the sheet pan, spread them with mustard and layer on the ham and 1 cup of the cheese.

Step 6 of 9

Top with the other 4 slices, buttered side up, and bake until the bottoms are golden.

400°F

Step 7 of 9

Flip the sandwiches with a spatula, spread the sauce over the tops and sprinkle with the last 1/2 cup cheese.

Step 8 of 9

Bake until the cheese melts.

400°F

Step 9 of 9

Turn the broiler to high and

broil (how to broil)

Broil Cook or brown food with strong heat from the top of the oven, like an upside-down grill. 1. Move an oven rack so the food will sit 3 to 6 inches from the heat.2. Turn the broiler on and give it a few minutes to heat.3. Use a metal pan (never glass that isn't broiler-safe) and put the food in.4. Stay at the oven and check every minute; things go from brown to burnt fast.5. Turn the food if the recipe says to. Done when: The top is browned and bubbly or charred in spots, usually in 1 to 5 minutes. Safety: Don't use parchment or wax paper under the broiler; it can catch fire. Use foil or a bare pan.How to broil: mistakes to avoid

until the tops bubble and brown in spots, watching closely.

All done

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
Swaps for butter
Instead of butter
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp oil for every 4 tbsp (¼ cup) melted butter. Cakes and muffins come out moister and stay soft longer, without a buttery taste.
More for butter

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
1 cup whole milk
Swaps for whole milk
Instead of milk
- Unsweetened soy milk: The same amount. The closest plant milk for baking: its protein helps things brown and set.
- Unsweetened oat milk: The same amount. Creamy and mild with a hint of sweetness.
- Unsweetened almond milk: The same amount. Thinner and less rich, so cakes are a little paler and drier.
All 5 swaps for milk

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Swaps for ground nutmeg
Instead of nutmeg
- Ground mace: A little less. Made from the same fruit; slightly sharper.
- Pumpkin pie spice or allspice: The same amount. Warmer and more cinnamon-forward.
More for nutmeg
¼ tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
More for salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
8 slices sandwich bread, a sturdy white loaf
2 tbsp butter, softened
Swaps for butter
Instead of butter
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp oil for every 4 tbsp (¼ cup) melted butter. Cakes and muffins come out moister and stay soft longer, without a buttery taste.
More for butter

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
1 ⅓ tbsp Dijon mustard
Swaps for Dijon mustard
Instead of mustard
- Another prepared mustard: The same amount. Yellow is milder and more vinegary; Dijon is sharper; whole-grain adds texture; spicy brown is in between.
- Dry mustard: 1 tsp dry mustard + 1 tsp water + 1 tsp white wine vinegar for each 1 tbsp. Sharper and less smooth.
More for mustard
8 oz deli ham, thinly sliced
6 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded, about 2 cups, divided