Croque Madame Toast Cups with Ham, Egg and Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

Cheese béchamel

• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1½ tablespoons flour
• 1¼ cups milk (full fat preferred; low fat works)
• ⅓ cup grated gruyère (or tasty or cheddar), plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

Toast cups

• 6 large slices fresh white bread
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted)
• 6 eggs
• 100 g (3 oz) leg ham

Garnish

• Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Freshly ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Trim the crusts off the bread, then flatten each slice with a rolling pin.

3. 3

   Press the flattened slices into the Texas muffin tin to form cups. Put them in the oven for about 5 minutes (it doesn't matter if the oven is still heating) to dry them out without letting them color.

   
4. 4

   Béchamel

   In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, add the flour and stir until it forms a paste.

5. 5

   Whisk in half of the milk and keep whisking for about 1 minute, until it thickens.

6. 6

   Pour in the rest of the milk along with the Dijon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue whisking for 1½ to 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is about as thick as ketchup.

   
7. 7

   Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes; it will thicken more as it cools. Stir in the cheese.

9. 8

   Assembly

   Brush the rims of the toast cups with the melted butter.

10. 9

    Share the ham between the cups, then crack an egg into each one.

    
11. 10

    Spoon the béchamel over the eggs and finish each cup with a pinch of grated cheese.

12. 11

    Bake for 18 minutes if you want runny yolks, or 23 minutes for set yolks.

13. 12

    Let them rest for a few minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and a little grated nutmeg.

14. 13

    Serve straight away.