Brûléed Croque Monsieur

Instructions

1. Step
   Make the bechamel: In a saucepan, add butter and cook over medium-low heat until melted. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
2. Step
   Keeping the pan over medium-low heat, add about 3 tbsp of milk, and whisk until smooth. Add another 3 tbsp of milk and whisk until smooth. Continue adding small amounts of milk, whisking between each addition, until all the milk is used. Stir the milk constantly over medium-low heat until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
3. Step
   Add salt and nutmeg then stir. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir with a spoon (not a whisk) until combined. Taste then add more salt if needed.
4. Step
   Assemble croque monsieur: Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place 4 slices of bread on the baking sheet. Top each slice with a thin layer of bechamel (about 1-2 tbsp).
5. Step
   Place grated cheddar and a slice of aged cheddar on top of bechamel. Place a slice of ham on top of the cheese.
6. Step
   Top with a big spoon of bechamel to cover the ham completely. Bake in oven for 6-8 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.
7. Step
   Torch or broil to finish: Once baked, stack the croque by taking one slice of bread (bechamel side up), and placing it on top of another slice. Do the same for the other croque. You should now have two croque monsieur’s with two pieces of bread stacked on each. Keep the croque monsieurs on the foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle ½ tbsp of brown sugar on top of each monsieur.
8. Step
   Torch Option: If torching, place under the vents of your stove top and torch the sugar until melted and cheese is bubbling.
9. Step
   Broil Option: Set broil to high and place your oven rack at the highest position in your oven. Place croque monsieur’s into top rack of oven (be careful that it is not touching the top of the oven!). Broil for 30 seconds, or until cheese is bubbling and sugar has melted.