What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?

To make it short, the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich is an egg dipped ham and cheese sandwich made with a spread of Dijon mustard and fried like French toast. Plus it is served with jam! And yes, there are lots of variations

Is the Monte Cristo sandwich the same as a French Croque Monsieur?

The Monte Cristo is an American variation of the Croque Monsieur French sandwich which is grilled and topped with a Bechamel sauce and the Monte Cristo is dipped in French toast batter and then grilled.

Where did the Monte Cristo sandwich originate?

The Monte Cristo sandwich began appearing on menus in the early 1900s, though it was the Blue Bayou restaurant in Disneyland where its popularity began in the 1960's.

What To Serve With Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Description

A Monte Cristo sandwich has layers of ham, cheese, turkey and raspberry jam. It is dipped in a French toast custard and then fried in a skillet. Topped with powdered sugar and served with more raspberry jam for dunking. It is the best of sweet and savory. I chose to add some spice in the form of chipotles, but if you want the classic version, just leave them out.

Ingredients

Scale

8 slices of sourdough, challah, brioche or your favorite bread

4 T butter, softened

4 T mayonnaise

4 T Dijon Mustard

2 T chopped chipotle peppers in aodobo sauce

4 slices of Gruyere, Havarti or Swiss cheese (Can also grate enought to cover bread)

4 slices ham

8 slices turkey

Raspberry Jam

Butter and Canola oil for Skillet

Batter:

2 large eggs at room temperature

2 T milk

1 T sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

Sprinkle of ground cinnamon (optional)

For Serving:

Powdered Sugar

Raspberry Jam

Maple Syrup

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Instructions

Whisk mayonnaise, mustard and chipotle peppers together.

Place 4 slices of bread on a tray or cutting board. Lightly butter each slice of bread and then flip over. Spread the mayo mixture on top of each slice of bread. Top with cheese to cover and then a slice of ham and 2 slices of turkey. Top with more cheese.

Place the other 4 slices of bread on the cutting board and lightly spread softened butter on each slice. Flip over. Spread each slice of bread with raspberry jam. Place bread on top with raspberry jam on top of the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and place a weighted skillet on top of the sandwiches. You may have to move it around a few times. Leave for 3-5 minutes.

Whisk the egg batter together. Place 1 T oil and 2 T butter in a large skillet on medium-low heat. Dip the sandwich, including sides, into batter and place the sandwiches in pan. (Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to do this 2 times.) Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until sandwich is golden and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with more jam! Eat immediately for the best experience!

Notes

See post for what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches.

Thanks Carlsbad Cravings for the inspiration!