Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe | Foodal (2024)

What do you get when you cross a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with French toast?

You’re looking at it.

Yum. I love riddles you can eat.

If a sweet and salty handheld that’s dunked in a warm pool of raspberry jam before melting in your mouth sounds like heaven to you, this Monte Cristo recipe is the one you’ve been waiting for all your life.

Maybe you’ve stumbled upon a Monte Cristo, Croque Monsieur, or Croque Madame on a brunch menu before. So what do the famous sandwiches have in common (other than the fact that all three of their names would double as fantastic monikers for a cat)?

First and foremost: ham and cheese. Each of these between-bread creations is essentially a riff on your basic ham and cheese sandwich. And I don’t know about you, but I find that enjoying salty deli ham smushed against gooey cheese is like entering a time machine that sends me straight back to childhood.

The Croque Monsieur features a filling and topping of thick béchamel. Once spread on the exterior of the bread, the rich white sauce is typically sprinkled with a sharp, salty duo of Parmesan and Gruyère. It’s grilled or broiled, and the outcome is a crisp, cheesy crust.

The Croque Madame is the most substantial of the three as it’s assembled in the same way as the Croque Monsieur, and topped with a poached or lightly fried egg. Whoever invented the hashtag #putaneggonit was clearly a Croque Madame enthusiast.

Somewhere in between these two decadent handhelds falls the masterful Monte Cristo.

I may be biased, but I find it to be the standout of the squad. It’s believed to have originated in France as a simplified variation of the Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.

And while it is a cinch to put together, as far as flavor goes, there’s nothing simple about the VIP treatment that this recipe receives.

Prepared French toast-style (which means a quick dip in egg wash before being grilled in butter), the Monte Cristo stands out thanks to its sweet elements.

If the idea of sprinkling powdered sugar on savory cold cuts sounds a little odd to you, don’t worry. I find just about everyone feels that way at first.

But once you witness the buttery, golden-brown bread being dusted in superfine sugar, you can practically feel each bite melting on your tongue before the sandwich has ever left the plate.

As far as the jam goes, a sweet and tart, fruity component paired with salty flavors is a classic combo.

Just think of all the charcuterie boards you’ve chowed down on.

Now that you’ve got a mind full of Monte Cristos, I bet you’ll start spotting them at restaurants left and right. But anyone can order something off a menu. The best part of cooking at home is fiddling with whatever makes your particular palate perk up.

Triple-deckers make me feel some type of way, but there’s no set requirement as far as the bread count goes. If you’re more of a standard two-slice sandwich maker, step right up. If cutting the crust off makes you feel like a kid again, trim away.

And if you believe the jam belongs on the inside, spread to your heart’s content.

Ready for the recipe? Go forth, my friend, into the land of homemade French sandwiches.

Just don’t forget your spatula.

Print

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients

Shred the Gruyère (unless you’re using sliced cheese) and gather the mayo, mustard, ham, and bread, as well as your powdered sugar and jam, eggs, milk, salt, and butter. Measure out all of your ingredients.

Red currant jelly is classic for Monte Cristos if you can find it, but I like to use a good quality raspberry jam or preserves, and this is pretty common as well.

Feel free to substitute another type of Swiss cheese, like Emmentaler. Some people also like to use a combination of turkey and ham. If you go that route, use half a pound of each.

Use a hearty, sturdy white bread like brioche, challah, or a country-style loaf, cut into slices about half an inch thick either at the bakery or grocery store, or using your trusty bread knife.

It’s better to use bread that’s a couple days old, so it’s not too light and airy. Bread that’s too soft will fall apart more easily.

Step 2 – Assemble

Lay 4 pieces of bread down on a clean work surface or large cutting board and evenly spread each slice with mayonnaise and mustard, using about half of the total that you measured out.

Store-bought mayonnaise works just fine, but homemade mayonnaise will take this recipe up another notch.

Top each with 1 slice of Gruyère or about an eighth of the shredded cheese, and then evenly distribute half of the ham on top.

Add another slice of bread to each, and distribute the remaining ham and cheese.

Spread the remaining mayonnaise and mustard on the last 4 slices of the bread and place them (mayo side-down) on top of the cheese to complete each sandwich.

You can loosely wrap them in plastic wrap and weigh them down with a press or a cast iron pan for a few minutes before dipping them into the egg wash if you like, to compress the ingredients.

Step 3 – Make the Egg Wash and Dip the Sandwiches

In a shallow bowl or dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, and pinch of salt until combined. The eggs should be beaten well.

Firmly press down on each sandwich to condense the ingredients slightly if you didn’t press them, and then quickly dip each side into the egg and milk mixture, making sure you’re just coating the bread not soaking it. Be careful not to oversaturate the bread with the egg wash or it will fall apart.

If you like, you can also wait to quickly dunk them just before adding them to the pan in the next step, to avoid sogginess.

Step 4 – Grill

If you’re grilling them in batches, turn your oven on low (around 170°F) and keep the finished Monte Cristos warm on a rack set into a baking sheet so they don’t get soggy, until you’re ready to serve.

In a large skillet or a cast iron pan to melt the butter over medium heat.

When the butter begins to foam and sizzle, add the sandwiches to the skillet, working in batches if necessary so you don’t crowd the pan.

Grill until the bread is golden-brown and toasted and the cheese is melted, for about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the second.

Transfer to the oven to keep warm if cooking in batches.

Step 5 – Slice and Serve

Just before slicing and plating the sandwiches, place the jam in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 30 seconds, or warm it up over low heat in a small saucepot. Put it on the table with your favorite serving spoon, or divide between individual ramekins for serving.

Slice each one in half, and sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar – I like to use a fine sieve or flour sifter for this. Serve with sides of the warmed raspberry jam, or drizzle a little on top.