I know what you’re thinking… LEFTOVER croissants? Who has those? Well, bakeries sometimes do at the end of the day, and typically, they use the leftover croissants to make almond croissants. A pretty spectacular round 2 bake, in my opinion. I opted to do a savory twice bake, inspired by the ham and cheese croissant, my favorite morning bakery treat.
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I split the croissants in half, spread with a bit of my favorite Dijon mustard, then added sliced ham and gruyere, so essentially a croissant sandwich. Then, I arranged them in a wide braiser and poured custard all over and left it to soak. Before baking, I grated a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano over the tops of the croissants. It’s the perfect brunch dish to feed a crowd.
Ham and Cheese Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe
Q+A
Can you let it sit, unbaked, overnight?
I’ve seen recipes that state that, but I found the croissants got a bit too soggy, so 1-2 hours soak was about right for me.
Can you freeze the dish?
Yes! I recommend baking and then freezing. I made this dish for my family’s Thanksgiving brunch and had leftovers, so to bring them back to life, we placed the individual croissants on a sheet pan and re-warmed and crisped in our countertop oven. They tasted delicious!
Can you substitute the ham for other protein?
Definitely. I like the classic combination of ham and gruyere but you could certainly use chicken or turkey, or omit the meat all together and have it be a cheesy, vegetarian bake.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask in the comments below!
Make it and share with me on Instagram @pastrywithjenn.