Croque Monsieur Croissant

1. Split the croissants in half to make a pair of open-faced sandwiches. Spread 1 tsp Dijon mustard over the bottom slice of each croissant. Place the croissant halves, cut-side up, on a baking tray and set to one side.

2. Finely grate the Gruyère cheese. Preheat your grill to high.

3. Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and 1 tsp Dijon mustard and mix till you have a smooth paste. Cook and stir for 1 min, then slowly trickle in the milk, beating well as you add the milk to smoothly combine it. Simmer for 2 mins till you have a thick béchamel sauce. Take the pan off the heat and add 1/3 of the Gruyère, plenty of grated nutmeg and a pinch of pepper (the ham and cheese are quite salty, but you can add a pinch of salt if you think the sauce needs it). Stir to combine.

4. Spoon 2 tbsp of the béchamel sauce over each croissant half, top and bottom slices. Arrange some ham on the bottom slices, then top the ham with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Slide the tray under the grill for 3-5 mins till the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling.

5. Sandwich the halves together and serve. Bon appetit!

6. Bonjour Madame For a croque madame, add a fried egg on top of the ham before sandwiching the melty croissant halves.