Croque Madame Muffins

Makes 6

Preparation time: 20 mins

Baking time: 15 - 20 mins

6 large slices of white bread, no crusts

3 tbsp butter, melted

75g ham cut into cubes or thin strips

6 small eggs

For the Mornay sauce:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp plain flour

200ml milk, lukewarm

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

30g Gruyere or mature Comte cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

1. Make the sauce: melt the butter in a pan ver a medium heat. Add the flour and beat hard until you have a smooth paste. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 2 mins, then gradually add the milk, whisking constantly.

2. Place the pan back over a medium heat, add the mustard and nutmeg and simmer gently for 10mins, whisking ferquently to stop the sauce burning on the bottom of the pan. Once the sauce thickens to the consistency of a thick tomato sauce, take off the heat. Add the cheese (keep a little for the garnish) and taste for seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk. If too lumpy, pass it through a sieve.

3. Preaheat the oven to 180C. flatten the slices of bread with a rolling pin, then brush each slice on both sides with the melted butter. Line a 6 hole muffin tin with the slices of bread, pressing them in with the bootom of a small glass.

4. Divide the ham between the muffins followed by the eggs (if the eggs seem too big, pour a little of the white away before using). Put 2 tbsp of the cheese sauce on top of each egg, then sprinkle with a little cheese and pepper. Bake for 15-20 mins, depending on how runny you like your eggs. Serve immediately.

(Rachel Khoo - The Little Paris Kitchen)