The New Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe
The New Monte Cristo Sandwich is a decadent, flavor-packed sandwich featuring layers of premium ham and melting cheese between slices of soft artisan bread. The sandwich is dipped in a sweet, vanilla-infused egg batter, pan-fried until golden brown, then dusted with powdered sugar and served with homemade cranberry sauce for a perfect balance of savory and sweet flavors.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Sandwich
- 4 thick slices soft white artisan bread (challah or brioche loaf is ideal)
- Mayonnaise, as needed (homemade or premium prepared, such as Best Foods)
- Dijon mustard, as needed
- 4 ounces (4–8 slices) thinly sliced premium ham (e.g., Boarshead rosemary ham)
- 4 ounces (4–8 slices) thinly sliced premium melting cheese such as Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Fontina, or Havarti
Batter
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Frying
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Garnish
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Homemade or chunky cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Sandwiches: Lay out four slices of artisan bread on a countertop. Spread each slice generously with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Top each slice first with a layer of cheese, then a layer of thinly sliced ham.
- Compact the Sandwiches: Wrap each assembled sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place them on a cookie sheet, top with another cookie sheet, and weigh down evenly with about 4 pounds of weight (such as four 1-pound cans of tomatoes). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours. This step compacts the sandwich, ensuring the batter doesn’t soak too deeply.
- Make the Batter: In a flat baking dish, whisk together the beaten eggs, milk, melted butter, golden brown sugar, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt until fully combined.
- Batter-Coat the Sandwiches: Remove the sandwiches from the plastic wrap. Dip each sandwich into the batter, coating both sides evenly by soaking for about 20 seconds per side.
- Cook the Sandwiches: Heat the vegetable oil and unsalted butter together in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Place the batter-coated sandwiches in the skillet. Cook each side for about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning only once. In the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, cover the skillet with a domed lid to steam-soften the bread and finish melting the cheese inside.
- Serve: Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut each into quarters diagonally. Arrange the pieces overlapping slightly on serving plates. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve hot with homemade or chunky cranberry sauce on the side.
Notes
- Use soft white artisan bread like challah or brioche for best texture and flavor.
- Compact the sandwiches well to prevent batter from soaking too deeply and to help maintain sandwich integrity during frying.
- Cook on medium-low heat to ensure even browning without burning.
- Covering the sandwiches near the end of cooking helps melt the cheese thoroughly and softens the bread perfectly.
- Serving with cranberry sauce adds a classic sweet-tart contrast to the savory sandwich.
- This recipe makes 2 sandwiches, perfect for 2 servings.
Keywords: Monte Cristo sandwich, fried sandwich, ham and cheese sandwich, brunch recipe, sweet and savory sandwich
