Croque Madame

Name: Croque Madame
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 30 g Unsalted butter; 30 g Plain flour; 300 ml Whole milk; 1 pinch Ground nutmeg; 1 pinch Salt; 1 pinch Ground black pepper; 200 g Gruyère cheese; 8 piece white sandwich bread; 20 g Dijon mustard; 200 g cooked ham; 30 g Unsalted butter; 4 piece Egg; 1 pinch Salt; 1 pinch Ground black pepper

26 min · 19 min active · makes ~1 kg · Trivial

Croque Madame combines ham and melted cheese between buttered bread, topped with a fried egg and creamy béchamel sauce infused with nutmeg.

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Croque Madame

Croque Madame combines ham and melted cheese between buttered bread, topped with a fried egg and creamy béchamel sauce infused with nutmeg.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

26 min

ACTIVE TIME

19 min

QUANTITY

~1 kg

DIFFICULTY

Trivial

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/11

Tools0/17

Ingredients

0/11 gathered · 4 servings

60g

30g

300ml

1pinch

2pinch

200g

8piece

20g

200g

4piece

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	60g	—	—
2	30g	—	—
3	300ml	—	—
4	1pinch	—	—
5	2pinch	—	—
6	2pinch	—	—
7	200g	—	—
8	8piece	—	—
9	20g	—	—
10	200g	—	—
11	4piece	—	—

Tools

17 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

34 steps

1 of 34

Turn the oven to 220 °C and let it come fully up to temperature.

220°C

⏱ 10 min

2 of 34

Add the butter to the saucepan.

Unsalted butter · 30 g

⏱ 10s

ResultUnsalted butter

3 of 34

Place the saucepan over a medium-low heat and swirl until the butter is completely liquid with no white solids remaining.

⏱ 1 min

ResultMelted butter

4 of 34

Add the flour to the melted butter all at once.

Plain flour · 30 g

⏱ 10s

ResultMelted butter and plain flour

5 of 34

Stir continuously over a medium-low heat until the flour and butter come together into a smooth paste and cook for about a minute without colouring.

⏱ 1 min

ResultBlonde roux

6 of 34

Pour the milk into the roux in a steady stream.

Whole milk · 300 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultBlonde roux and whole milk

7 of 34

Whisk constantly over a medium heat, working out any lumps, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

⏱ 5 min

ResultSmooth béchamel

8 of 34

Add the nutmeg to the béchamel.

Ground nutmeg · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg

9 of 34

Add the salt to the béchamel.

Salt · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg and salt

10 of 34

Add the black pepper to the béchamel.

Ground black pepper · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg mixture

11 of 34

Stir thoroughly to combine the seasoning evenly through the sauce, then remove from the heat.

⏱ 30s

ResultSeasoned béchamelused in step 24

12 of 34

Grate the Gruyère on the coarse side of the grater into the bowl.

Gruyère cheese · 200 g

⏱ 1 min

ResultGrated gruyèreused in step 22

13 of 34

Line the baking tray with baking paper.

⏱ 15s

14 of 34

Lay the 8 slices of bread on the chopping board.

White sandwich bread · 8 piece

⏱ 1 min

ResultSliced white bread

15 of 34

Lay all 8 slices of bread in a single layer on the lined baking tray.

Sliced white bread · step 14

⏱ 15s

ResultSliced white bread

16 of 34

Slide the baking tray into the oven.

⏱ 5s

ResultSliced white bread

17 of 34

Toast the bread in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the surface is just dry and very lightly golden.

220°C

⏱ 5 min

ResultLightly toasted bread

18 of 34

Pull the tray from the oven using oven gloves and set it on the counter.

⏱ 10s

ResultLightly toasted bread

19 of 34

Spread a thin, even layer of Dijon mustard over one side of each of the 8 toasted slices.

Dijon mustard · 20 g

⏱ 30s

ResultMustard-spread toast

20 of 34

Lay the ham onto the baking tray beside the toasted slices, ready to drape.

Cooked ham · 200 g

⏱ 10s

ResultMustard-spread toast and cooked ham

21 of 34

Drape the ham evenly over the mustard side of 4 of the slices, dividing it equally between them.

⏱ 30s

ResultHam-topped toast

22 of 34

Scatter about a third of the grated Gruyère over the ham on the 4 loaded slices.

Grated gruyère · step 12

⏱ 20s

ResultCheese-and-ham toastused in step 25

23 of 34

Press the remaining 4 plain slices, mustard-side down, firmly on top of each loaded slice to form 4 sandwiches.

⏱ 20s

ResultPressed sandwiches

24 of 34

Spoon the béchamel generously over the top of each sandwich, spreading it right to the edges.

Seasoned béchamel · step 11

⏱ 30s

ResultSauced sandwiches

25 of 34

Scatter the remaining Gruyère evenly over the béchamel on each sandwich.

Remaining grated gruyère · step 22 Sauced sandwiches · step 24

⏱ 20s

ResultCheese-topped sandwiches

26 of 34

Slide the baking tray into the oven.

⏱ 5s

ResultCheese-topped sandwiches

27 of 34

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden and the sauce is just beginning to brown at the edges.

220°C

⏱ 10 min

ResultBaked croque sandwiches

28 of 34

Remove the tray from the oven with oven gloves and set it on the counter.

⏱ 10s

ResultBaked croque sandwichesused in step 35

29 of 34

Add the butter to the frying pan.

Unsalted butter · 30 g

⏱ 10s

ResultUnsalted butter

30 of 34

Place the frying pan over a medium heat and let the butter melt and foam.

⏱ 1 min

ResultMelted butter

31 of 34

Crack each egg carefully into the pan, keeping the yolks whole.

Egg · 4 piece

⏱ 15s

ResultMelted butter and egg

32 of 34

Fry the eggs over a medium-low heat, spooning a little of the butter over the whites now and then, until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. Use pasteurised eggs for runny yolks, or cook them 3 minutes more until firm.

⏱ 3 min

ResultFried eggs

33 of 34

Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.

Salt · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultFried eggs and salt

34 of 34

Season the eggs with a pinch of black pepper.

Ground black pepper · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultFried eggs and salt and ground black pepperused in step 36

Total Time26 min

#	Product	Tool	Action
1	—	220°C	Turn the oven to 220 °C and let it come fully up to temperature.⏱ 10 min
2	30 g		Add the butter to the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter
3	—		Place the saucepan over a medium-low heat and swirl until the butter is completely liquid with no white solids remaining.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter
4	30 g		Add the flour to the melted butter all at once.⏱ 10sResultMelted butter and plain flour
5	—		Stir continuously over a medium-low heat until the flour and butter come together into a smooth paste and cook for about a minute without colouring.⏱ 1 minResultBlonde roux
6	300 ml		Pour the milk into the roux in a steady stream.⏱ 10sResultBlonde roux and whole milk
7	—		Whisk constantly over a medium heat, working out any lumps, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.⏱ 5 minResultSmooth béchamel
8	1 pinch		Add the nutmeg to the béchamel.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg
9	1 pinch		Add the salt to the béchamel.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg and salt
10	1 pinch		Add the black pepper to the béchamel.⏱ 5sResultSmooth béchamel and ground nutmeg mixture
11	—		Stir thoroughly to combine the seasoning evenly through the sauce, then remove from the heat.⏱ 30sResultSeasoned béchamelused in step 24
12	200 g		Grate the Gruyère on the coarse side of the grater into the bowl.⏱ 1 minResultGrated gruyèreused in step 22
13	—		Line the baking tray with baking paper.⏱ 15s
14	8 piece		Lay the 8 slices of bread on the chopping board.⏱ 1 minResultSliced white bread
15	Sliced white breadstep 14		Lay all 8 slices of bread in a single layer on the lined baking tray.⏱ 15sResultSliced white bread
16	—		Slide the baking tray into the oven.⏱ 5sResultSliced white bread
17	—	220°C	Toast the bread in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the surface is just dry and very lightly golden.⏱ 5 minResultLightly toasted bread
18	—		Pull the tray from the oven using oven gloves and set it on the counter.⏱ 10sResultLightly toasted bread
19	20 g		Spread a thin, even layer of Dijon mustard over one side of each of the 8 toasted slices.⏱ 30sResultMustard-spread toast
20	200 g		Lay the ham onto the baking tray beside the toasted slices, ready to drape.⏱ 10sResultMustard-spread toast and cooked ham
21	—		Drape the ham evenly over the mustard side of 4 of the slices, dividing it equally between them.⏱ 30sResultHam-topped toast
22	Grated gruyèrestep 12		Scatter about a third of the grated Gruyère over the ham on the 4 loaded slices.⏱ 20sResultCheese-and-ham toastused in step 25
23	—		Press the remaining 4 plain slices, mustard-side down, firmly on top of each loaded slice to form 4 sandwiches.⏱ 20sResultPressed sandwiches
24	Seasoned béchamelstep 11		Spoon the béchamel generously over the top of each sandwich, spreading it right to the edges.⏱ 30sResultSauced sandwiches
25	Remaining grated gruyèrestep 22		Scatter the remaining Gruyère evenly over the béchamel on each sandwich.⏱ 20sResultCheese-topped sandwiches
25	Sauced sandwichesstep 24
26	—		Slide the baking tray into the oven.⏱ 5sResultCheese-topped sandwiches
27	—	220°C	Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden and the sauce is just beginning to brown at the edges.⏱ 10 minResultBaked croque sandwiches
28	—		Remove the tray from the oven with oven gloves and set it on the counter.⏱ 10sResultBaked croque sandwichesused in step 35
29	30 g		Add the butter to the frying pan.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter
30	—		Place the frying pan over a medium heat and let the butter melt and foam.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter
31	4 piece		Crack each egg carefully into the pan, keeping the yolks whole.⏱ 15sResultMelted butter and egg
32	—		Fry the eggs over a medium-low heat, spooning a little of the butter over the whites now and then, until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. Use pasteurised eggs for runny yolks, or cook them 3 minutes more until firm.⏱ 3 minResultFried eggs
33	1 pinch		Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.⏱ 5sResultFried eggs and salt
34	1 pinch		Season the eggs with a pinch of black pepper.⏱ 5sResultFried eggs and salt and ground black pepperused in step 36
Total Time			26 min

Serving

Lift each sandwich with a wide spatula onto a warmed dinner plate.
Slide one fried egg on top of each sandwich and serve immediately.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 93% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	537kcal
	37g
	40g
	23g
	10g
	4g
	0.3g
	1,343mg

Ingredients0/11

Tools0/17

Recipe

Croque Madame

Croque Madame combines ham and melted cheese between buttered bread, topped with a fried egg and creamy béchamel sauce infused with nutmeg.

What you’ll doYou will make a béchamel sauce, toast bread slices, then layer them with ham, cheese and sauce before baking. While they cook, you will fry eggs to top each sandwich. The oven and the hob run side by side at the end.

Serves4

Total26 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Unsalted butter60 g
Plain flour30 g
Whole milk300 ml
Ground nutmeg1 pinch
Salt2 pinch
Ground black pepper2 pinch
Gruyère cheese200 g
White sandwich bread8 piece
Dijon mustard20 g
Cooked ham200 g
Egg4 piece

Tools

Large spatulaSpoonSmall bowlBread knifeOvenLarge frying panPalette knifeSmall saucepanSpatulaWhiskWooden spoonDinner plateBaking trayGraterBaking paperOven gloveChopping board

Method

Turn the oven to 220 °C and let it come fully up to temperature.

220°C10 minOven

Add the butter to the saucepan.

10sSmall saucepanUnsalted butter · 30 g

Place the saucepan over a medium-low heat and swirl until the butter is completely liquid with no white solids remaining.

1 minSmall saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the flour to the melted butter all at once.

10sSmall saucepanPlain flour · 30 g

Stir continuously over a medium-low heat until the flour and butter come together into a smooth paste and cook for about a minute without colouring.

1 minSmall saucepan, Wooden spoon

Pour the milk into the roux in a steady stream.

10sSmall saucepanWhole milk · 300 ml

Whisk constantly over a medium heat, working out any lumps, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5 minSmall saucepan, Whisk

Add the nutmeg to the béchamel.

5sSmall saucepanGround nutmeg · 1 pinch

Add the salt to the béchamel.

5sSmall saucepanSalt · 1 pinch

Add the black pepper to the béchamel.

5sSmall saucepanGround black pepper · 1 pinch

Stir thoroughly to combine the seasoning evenly through the sauce, then remove from the heat.

Result · Seasoned béchamel · used in step 24

30sSmall saucepan, Wooden spoon

Grate the Gruyère on the coarse side of the grater into the bowl.

Result · Grated gruyère · used in step 22

1 minSmall bowl, GraterGruyère cheese · 200 g

Line the baking tray with baking paper.

15sBaking tray, Baking paper

Lay the 8 slices of bread on the chopping board.

1 minChopping board, Bread knifeWhite sandwich bread · 8 piece

Lay all 8 slices of bread in a single layer on the lined baking tray.

15sBaking traySliced white bread · step 14

Slide the baking tray into the oven.

5sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Toast the bread in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the surface is just dry and very lightly golden.

220°C5 minBaking tray, Oven

Pull the tray from the oven using oven gloves and set it on the counter.

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Spread a thin, even layer of Dijon mustard over one side of each of the 8 toasted slices.

30sBaking tray, Palette knifeDijon mustard · 20 g

Lay the ham onto the baking tray beside the toasted slices, ready to drape.

10sBaking trayCooked ham · 200 g

Drape the ham evenly over the mustard side of 4 of the slices, dividing it equally between them.

30sBaking tray

Scatter about a third of the grated Gruyère over the ham on the 4 loaded slices.

Result · Cheese-and-ham toast · used in step 25

20sBaking trayGrated gruyère · step 12

Press the remaining 4 plain slices, mustard-side down, firmly on top of each loaded slice to form 4 sandwiches.

20sBaking tray

Spoon the béchamel generously over the top of each sandwich, spreading it right to the edges.

30sBaking tray, SpoonSeasoned béchamel · step 11

Scatter the remaining Gruyère evenly over the béchamel on each sandwich.

20sBaking trayRemaining grated gruyère · step 22Sauced sandwiches · step 24

Slide the baking tray into the oven.

5sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden and the sauce is just beginning to brown at the edges.

220°C10 minBaking tray, Oven

Remove the tray from the oven with oven gloves and set it on the counter.

Result · Baked croque sandwiches · used in step 35

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Add the butter to the frying pan.

10sLarge frying panUnsalted butter · 30 g

Place the frying pan over a medium heat and let the butter melt and foam.

1 minLarge frying pan

Crack each egg carefully into the pan, keeping the yolks whole.

15sLarge frying panEgg · 4 piece

3 minLarge frying pan

Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.

5sLarge frying panSalt · 1 pinch

Season the eggs with a pinch of black pepper.

Result · Fried eggs and salt and ground black pepper · used in step 36

5sLarge frying panGround black pepper · 1 pinch

Lift each sandwich with a wide spatula onto a warmed dinner plate.

30sDinner plate, Large spatulaBaked croque sandwiches · step 28

Slide one fried egg on top of each sandwich and serve immediately.

Result · Croque Madame

30sDinner plate, SpatulaFried eggs and salt and ground black pepper · step 34

Printed 7 October 2026