Sandwich Maker Toasties
Butter on the outside, not the inside, ensures the crust turns golden instead of dry.
- Preparation
- 8 min
- Cook/bake time
- 6 min
- Total
- 14 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Butter on the outside, not the inside, ensures the crust turns golden instead of dry. A sandwich maker presses and seals at the same time, and that is exactly why you can fill it with liquid fillings that would run out in a pan. The two rules that make the difference: butter goes on the outside, and the edge remains free.
Why this works
Butter on the inside of a toastie does almost nothing: it melts into the crumb and makes it greasy without browning. On the outside, however, it sits between the bread and the hot plate and conducts heat much better than the air that would otherwise be there. The surface reaches over 140 degrees faster, and the milk protein in the butter browns along with it. This is the same reason a grilled cheese is buttered on the outside in a pan. The second point is the free edge: a sandwich maker presses the bread edges together and seals them. If the filling reaches into the corner, it cannot close, and the melted cheese runs into the heating grooves, right where you can no longer get it out.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Preheat the sandwich maker
Turn the device on and let it heat up completely until the indicator light changes. A cold-filled device steams for the first few minutes instead of browning, and then the bread becomes tough instead of crispy.
- 2
Butter the outsides
Spread a thin layer of soft butter on one side of each slice of bread. This side goes on the outside. No butter belongs on the inside: there it melts into the crumb and makes it greasy without contributing anything to the browning.
- 3
Fill with a free edge
Spread the mustard on the unbuttered side, distribute the cheese, ham, and tomato, and leave a one-centimeter border all around. Seed and pat dry the tomato slices beforehand, as their juice is the most common cause of a soggy toastie.
- 4
Press for six minutes
Place the sandwiches in with the buttered side down and close the device. Six minutes until the edges are sealed and the surfaces are deep golden brown. Let it stand on the board for a minute before you bite into it, as melted cheese is much hotter than it looks.
Our best tips
- Butter belongs on the outside. Between the bread and the plate, it conducts heat and browns along with it, while on the inside it only makes the crumb greasy.
