This savory French toast is layered with sweet ham, Gruyere cheese and Herbes de Provence then baked until golden delicious. And when served with a light creamy Dijon sauce this dish is sure to please!
Additionally, sweet caramelized onions bump up the flavor profile in my recipe for Ham and Gruyere Baked French Toast.
Make an ordinary day brighter…
Or make a special occasion outstanding with a dish that won’t be forgotten. My family looks forward to this dish for Easter Sunday brunch. But there are so many special days that warrant this dish. Just to name a few….Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, brunch with friends, bridal showers and baby showers. Additionally, it is so easy to put together the day before the event. All that is left is to pop it into the oven and serve.
Flavorful Options
While it’s a delicious treat on its own, I really enjoy this dish served with a fried egg. Whether it is placed to the side or on top, the yolk from the egg makes a simple and delicious sauce. But there are other options to make this dish stand out above the rest.
Ham and Gruyere sandwiches are delicious with a little Dijon mustard. For this flavor profile, try serving with my recipe for Creamy Dijon Sauce.
Additionally, I created another flavor option for this dish. Perhaps you would like to try my recipe for Light Creamy Parmesan Sauce. As my brother says, Dijon Sauce is good but “Cheesy” is always better.
The Ingredients
Bread
Staled bread works best here, but if time is of the essence you can quick dry the bread in an oven. My favorite bread to use is a crusty French Artisan bread. Shave off the heavy crust with a sharp serrated knife and slice the bread into thin 1/4 inch slices. Let the bread dry overnight on a sheet pan. However, the bread can be quickly dried out by placing it in a warm oven.
Cheese and Ham
I love the sweet nutty taste of Gruyere, but if you have difficulty finding it Swiss Cheese or Gouda will stand in nicely. The key with the cheese is to grate it with a fine grater, as it produces more volume. My favorite ham to use is Boar’s Head Simplicity Uncured Ham. Choose your favorite ham, and have it sliced thin.
This recipe was designed to be baked in a 13 X 9 inch casserole. Cut the finished baked product into 12 equal portions.
Each portion ( 1/12th of the finished casserole) is 5 WW Smart Points.
One portion (1/12th of casserole) is 248 calories.
Buon Appetito!
Tips and Pictures for Guidance
I’ve included these pictures as a guide for the steps in assembly.
Cut the bread into 1/4 inch slices, trimming away the heavier crust.
After placing the bread in the sprayed pan, dot with caramelized onions.
Place the ham over the first layer of bread, and sprinkle with half of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the Herbes De Provence over the cheese.
Place the second layer of bread over the herbs and cheese.
Dot with additional caramelized onion over second layer of bread and gently pour the custard over all layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of cheese and reserve the remaining cheese for the top near the end of bake time .
