Croissant gratin with ham and cheese
This French recipe is the perfect way to transform day-old croissants into an indulgent yet wonderfully sustainable dish.
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
Ingredients: 4 servings
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| 900 | ml | milk |
| 4 | large eggs, beaten | |
| 5 | day-old croissants, halved lengthwise | |
| 7 | thin slices ham | |
| 450 | g | Emmental cheese, grated |
| 1 | clove | garlic, peeled and lightly crushed |
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and garlic until just below simmering point. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15–20 minutes. Remove the garlic, then slowly whisk the eggs into the milk mixture. Set aside.
Arrange the bottom halves of the croissants, cut-side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Place a slice of ham on each croissant half and sprinkle with some of the grated Emmental, using about half of the cheese in total. Top with the croissant lids.
Sprinkle about two-thirds of the remaining cheese over the croissants and pour over the milk-and-egg mixture. Gently press the croissants down with a fork so they absorb the liquid and are almost submerged. At this stage, the dish can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Scatter the remaining cheese and the leftover slices of ham over the croissants. Bake for about 30 minutes, until puffed, golden, and crisp on top.
Serve hot, straight from the oven.