Description
Assemble this simple, make-ahead croissant strata the night before for a warm, comforting breakfast casserole featuring ham and Gruyere cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 day-old croissants, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound thinly sliced deli ham, chopped
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Lightly butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Spread half of the torn croissants in an even layer in the prepared dish.
- Top the croissants with the chopped ham and half of the shredded Gruyere cheese.
- Add the remaining croissants and top with the rest of the cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the croissants and cheese in the baking dish. Gently press down on the croissants to help them absorb the liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Remove the plastic wrap.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the strata is puffed, golden brown on top, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Let the bake rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Using day-old croissants helps them absorb the custard mixture better without becoming too soggy.
- You can substitute Gruyere with Swiss or sharp white cheddar cheese for a different flavor profile.
- For a make-ahead option, assemble everything up to step 5, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 180