Monte Cristo

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A hybrid of a ham and cheese sandwich and French toast, this breakfast and brunch sandwich is both sweet and savory, with raspberry jam and spicy mustard.

By

Chandra Ram

Updated on July 26, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Monte Cristo Recipe — Photo:
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee

Total Time:

10 mins

Servings:

2

If you are the kind of person who hates picking between sweet and savory dishes at breakfast or brunch, the Monte Cristo is perfect for you. Ham and Gruyère cheese are at the center of this sandwich, but the raspberry jam and Dijon mustard inside are a hint that this is more than just a ham sandwich. Assemble the sandwiches, then dip them in an egg batter lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla before frying them in butter. The dusting of powdered sugar at the end reminds us of how much better and more complex a brownie or other dessert tastes when it has been sprinkled with salt. Here, of course, it's a hint of sweet added to a savory dish, but it gives this knife-and-fork sandwich the special touch it deserves. Serve it with more raspberry jam on the side if you like.

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Ingredients

4 slices white bread
8 ounces shredded Gruyère, divided
6 ounces thinly sliced ham
4 teaspoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons raspberry jam, plus more as needed
2 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, divided
Powdered sugar

Directions

Place bread slices on a cutting board and top 2 slices each with 2 ounces of the shredded Gruyère. Top each with ham, then the remaining 4 ounces of cheese. Spread mustard on remaining bread slices, then spread jam over mustard. Assemble sandwiches, pressing down slightly to adhere.
Beat eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a shallow bowl. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture, coating them completely.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium. Add 1 sandwich, cook until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked sandwich to a cutting board. Wipe out skillet, then melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet. Cook second sandwich, then transfer to cutting board. Slice each sandwich in half. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with additional jam.

Monte Cristo

Ingredients

Directions

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