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croque monsieur rolls topped with fresh herbs
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Croque Monsieur Rolls

Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
proofing time3 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 12 servings
Author: the town tarte

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 4-4 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp dry active yeast
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 6 tbsp butter melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs room temperature and beaten
  • 1/2 cup parmesan shredded

For the filling

  • 3/4-1 pound thinly sliced deli ham
  • 1 pound shredded white cheddar cheese divided into 2 cups for the filling and 2 cups for the topping
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

For the Béchamel

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup milk
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Make the dough

  • Whisk together 4 cups of flour, salt, pepper and thyme in a bowl and set aside.
    Heat milk to 110 degrees. Pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer with the yeast and sugar then whisk to combine. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave it to bloom for about 10 minutes
    Once the yeast has bloomed add the eggs and melted butter to the bowl and whisk. Fit the dough hook to the mixer and turn onto med-low. Slowly add the flour mixture. The dough will be shaggy at first but will come together quickly. The final dough should be tacky but not too wet. If it is too sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour one tablespoon at a time. Once all the flour is in, turn it to medium and allow to knead for about 8 minutes then finally add the parmesan and knead it for another minute or two until the cheese is well incorporated. Dump out the dough and form it into a ball and place it into a large, greased bowl. Proof the dough for 1 1/2 hours.
    My preferred method for proving: Cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap then place in on the middle rack of an oven. Place a large baking dish on the lower rack. Fill a tea kettle with water and bring it to a boil. Pour the boiling water into the baking dish then close the oven door. This creates the perfect environment for proofing.

Filling and Baking the Rolls

  • Heat the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan and slowly simmer until the garlic has cooked through and the butter is melted but not browned.
    Dump the risen dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a rectangle with your hands. Roll the dough out to a 19x12 inch rectangle.
    Brush the rolled dough with melted butter and garlic, then evenly arrange the sliced ham over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle with half the cheddar.
    Carefully roll the longest side of the dough into an even and tight roll. Use a sharp knife and trim off the edges. (About a half inch on each side.) Score the dough every 1 1/2 inches with the knife then slice, using a gentle sawing motion into 12 rolls.
    Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet into 4 rows of 3 with about an inch space between each roll to allow for more rising. Cover loosely with plastic and proof for another 1 1/2 hours
    Bake rolls, uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until slightly golden.
    "Ice" each roll with the béchamel and top with remaining cheddar and place under a broiler or in a very hot oven until the cheese melts and becomes golden brown.

For the béchamel

  • Whisk the butter and flour together in a small saucepan on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and simmer for 2-3 minutes more or until the sauce is thick. Add salt to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.