There are many delicious carbs that I love to use as sandwich bread, including pancakes and French toast, but strangely enough, I rarely use croissants. I prefer them fresh, and they’re far too flaky to hold a solid sandwich together (and I only eat solid sandwiches). But day-old croissants, or pre-made packaged croissants from the store, are a different story. The crispy flakes are soaked, and instead you’re left with a buttery bread with a chewy eggy skin; the perfect texture for a decadent croque monsieur.

If you’ve never seen a croque monsieur, it’s an elevated ham and cheese sandwich of French origin. It usually consists of two crispy slices of sourdough, Gruyère cheese, ham, and a layer of dijon and béchamel sauce. The entire sandwich is toasted until crispy, melted, and golden brown in a buttered pan. Top it with an egg and you’ve got yourself a croque madame. I told you it was elevated.

Croissants aren’t crispy in the same way that sourdough breads are, but personally, that’s part of the appeal. Sometimes I don’t want food to be hard work, and that half-inch crust is a real challenge to chew. Stale croissants are buttery, with flaky pockets, and for some sick, twisted reason I have this idea that croque monsieurs should be made like French toast. That means filling those airy pockets with creamy custard. Inexplicably, I think I’ve paired it with a Monte Cristo or mozzarella en carrozza (which you can and should make in your air fryer), but guess what, this quick soaking really breathes new life into stale croissants. That said, if you want to skip the custard bath, you certainly can.

Beat a little cream with an egg and salt. Cut the croissant equatorially in half and dip it in the custard to absorb the mixture. Fry the halves in a buttered frying pan until all sides are lightly browned. Remove the pieces and let them cool on a rack.