Croque Madame Muffins

It’s easier to get out of bed on these cold, dark winter mornings when you have something delicious planned for breakfast, don’t you agree?  There’s a little mixing and stirring involved here, but nothing too taxing.  Sometimes I make the mornay sauce the night before and reheat it gently on the stove before assembly – creating even more antici…pation (say it like Frank'n furter). This is the sort of breakfast food that appeals to the masses. Want to win friends and influence people? Bake a batch of these for brunch. Or just bake them for you, because you respect yourself so much. That works for me too.


Croque Madame Muffins
Makes 6
Slightly adapted from here

For the Mornay Sauce:
15g butter, melted
1 tablespoon plain flour
200ml hot milk
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
30g cheddar cheese

For the Muffins:

6 slices of white bread, crusts removed
45g butter, melted
6 slices of lean ham
6 egg yolks

Make the Mornay Sauce:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and whisk, cooking and whisking for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, whisking continuously. Put the pan back on the heat and add the mustard and nutmeg and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent it from catching on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, reserving some for sprinkling. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Make the Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Flatten the slices of bread with a rolling pin and brush both sides with melted butter. Line a 6-hole muffin pan with the bread. pressing it down firmly. Line the bread with a slice of ham and drop an egg yolk into each. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce onto each muffin and sprinkle with the reserved cheese and a little more pepper. Bake for about 15 – 20 minute, depending on how cooked you want the yolks. Serve hot.