Croque Monsieur Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe turns a Parisian café classic into a shareable entrée. Filled with ham, Gruyère cheese and a rich béchamel sauce, it’s the perfect side dish for a cozy brunch on a chilly day; or, pair it with a green salad with a light vinaigrette for a comforting weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

  • 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
  • 1 Tbs. sugar
  • 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) milk, heated to 110° to 112°F (43° to 44°C)
  • 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 2 1/3 cups plus 3 Tbs. (10 1/4 oz./320 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • Canola oil for greasing


For the béchamel filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) milk, warmed
  • 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) shredded Gruyère cheese 
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 to 8 oz. (185 to 250 g) sliced country ham, patted dry and cut in half


For the topping:

  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
  • Minced parsley
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

To make the dough, in the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the yeast, sugar and milk. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom; the mixture should look frothy and alive. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and add the butter, egg, flour and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat until the dough feels very soft, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead with the base of your palms until the dough is cohesive and smooth, about 1 minute. If it is too wet, add 1 to 3 Tbs. more flour until the dough is no longer sticky but is still very soft. Shape the dough into a mound.

Grease a large bowl with canola oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and turn once or twice to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let it stand in a warm spot until the dough is doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the béchamel filling: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to the pan with the butter and cook, whisking constantly, until a smooth paste forms. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the roux is bubbling and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the Parmesan and 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) of the Gruyère. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool completely.

Coat a 1 1/2-quart (1.5-l) terrine pan or 8-by-4-inch (20-by-10-cm) loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Gently punch down the dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 60 g each).

Using lightly floured hands or a rolling pin, flatten each piece of dough into a round about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Divide the béchamel evenly among the rounds, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) Gruyère evenly over top. Add a slice of ham to each round. Fold the rounds in half (the ham should be peeking out slightly) and line them up in the prepared pan, with the open side facing up. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot until the dough is puffy and doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C).

Remove the plastic wrap from the loaf pan, transfer to the oven and bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the bread out onto a serving platter or board. Brush the top of the loaf with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, parsley and a few generous grindings of pepper, then serve warm. Serves 6.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen