Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
This delicious ham and cheese croissant bake is the perfect savoury brunch dish. Imagine buttery croissants filled with peppery mustard, ham and melty Gruyère, baked in a creamy, cheesy custard, dotted with molten brie and brushed with garlic and honey butter. So delicious.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the croissants:
- 6-8 croissants
- 1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 200 g sliced ham
- 200 g Gruyère cheese grated
- 100 g brie cut into chunks (optional)
- Butter for greasing
For the custard:
- 4 large eggs
- 225 ml double cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- About 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 50 g mozzarella drained weight, grated or torn into very small pieces (optional)
To serve (optional):
- Finely chopped chives
- 80 g salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 sprigs of thyme leaves stripped
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan. Grease a 33x23cm (9x13-inch) oven-proof dish with butter and set aside.
- Slice the croissants in half as if to make sandwiches. Spread each with a little Dijon mustard. Top with a slice of ham, followed by a generous sprinkling of grated Gruyère. You want to use around half of the ham and Gruyère for the croissant filling. Seal to create a croissant sandwich, then slice into 3.
- Arrange the ham and cheese croissant pieces into the prepared baking dish. Scatter over any remaining ham, focusing on filling any gaps. Sprinkle over the brie, if using (I highly recommend you do!).
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your eggs and cream. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a little Dijon mustard. Whisk again to combine. Mix in the remaining grating Gruyère, then pour over the croissants. Sprinkle over the mozzarella.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes - or until gorgeously golden on top and the egg mixture has just set. If it needs a little longer but it's browning too quickly, cover with tin foil and pop back in the oven for a few more minutes. Leave to stand for 2 minutes.
- Whilst baking, make the garlic butter drizzle. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat with the garlic. Once hot and bubbling, remove from heat. Add picked thyme leaves and the honey. Stir together.
- Whilst still warm, brush over the garlic butter with honey and thyme. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and enjoy!
Notes
Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide with pictures to help you make this recipe.
To store: You can keep leftovers for up to 3 days. Just leave to cool completely, cover and chill for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Spoon individual portions into a microwave-safe dish and reheat in the microwave in gentle bursts until hot.
To freeze: Bake then allow to cool completely then wrap the dish with clingfilm and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat at 180c for 20-30 minutes, until melted and bubbling all the way through.
Make ahead: you can make up the ham and cheese croissant sandwiches the night before, then keep them well wrapped in the fridge overnight. Equally, you can whisk up the cheesy custard, cover with cling film and chill for up to 24 hours. Once you have soaked the croissants, it is best to bake and eat straight away. You can cover and chill the soaked mix unbaked for up to 3 hours, but any longer and they will absorb too much liquid.
Cheese: you can use lots of different cheeses in this ham and cheese croissant bake. It is perfect for using up the odds and ends from a festive cheese board. Try a strong Cheddar, Comté or Emmental instead of Gruyère. Meanwhile, Pié d'Angloys or Camembert both work really well instead of brie. Pretty much any soft cheese will be delicious.
Family friendly: ham and cheese is a classic combination loved by all ages. However, if making for little ones, you might like to tone down (or omit) the mustard.
Make it vegetarian: this ham and cheese croissant bake can easily be made vegetarian. Simply omit the ham and swap the Gruyère for a vegetarian-friendly cheese. A strong Cheddar is perfect.