Monte Cristo Breakfast Sandwich

Name: Monte Cristo Breakfast Sandwich
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 31 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 slices (240 g) white sandwich bread slices, about ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick, left out 30 minutes to dry slightly; 6 tablespoons (120 g) seedless raspberry jam, divided: 4 tablespoons for spreading, 2 tablespoons for serving; 8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced deli ham, folded to fit the bread; 8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced deli turkey, folded to fit the bread; 8 slices (180 g) Swiss cheese slices, at room temperature; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, divided into 3 equal portions; 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Ham, turkey and melty Swiss tucked between slices of custard-soaked white bread, pan-fried until golden and served with raspberry jam. A sweet-salty brunch classic that comes together in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 2 min
Total: 33 min
Makes: 4 sandwiches (halved, 8 pieces)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the sandwiches
8 slices (240 g) white sandwich bread slices, about ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick, left out 30 minutes to dry slightly
6 tablespoons (120 g) seedless raspberry jam, divided: 4 tablespoons for spreading, 2 tablespoons for serving
8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced deli ham, folded to fit the bread
8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced deli turkey, folded to fit the bread
8 slices (180 g) Swiss cheese slices, at room temperature
For the egg batter
4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
For cooking and serving
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, divided into 3 equal portions
1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large nonstick skillet or griddle (12-inch / 30 cm)
Shallow dish or pie plate, about 9-inch (23 cm), for the egg batter
Whisk
Wide spatula
Rimmed baking sheet with wire rack
Serrated knife
Fine-mesh sieve (for dusting sugar)
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Use sturdy, slightly stale or lightly toasted white sandwich bread; very fresh, soft bread falls apart when soaked.
Set out the Swiss cheese and deli meats so they aren't ice cold, which helps the cheese melt before the bread over-browns.
Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) so you can keep finished sandwiches warm and finish heating the centers while you cook in batches.
Cook over medium-low heat. Higher heat browns the outside before the cheese melts and the egg cooks through.
Have an instant-read thermometer ready: the center of each sandwich (turkey and egg) must reach 165°F (74°C).

1
Warm the ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
- Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven to hold cooked sandwiches.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 200°F (95°C).
2
Mix the batter
- In a shallow 9-inch (23 cm) dish, whisk the eggs, milk, Dijon, salt and a few grinds of pepper for about 30 seconds until fully combined with no visible streaks of egg white.
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Ready when: Batter is uniformly pale yellow and smooth.
3
Spread the jam
- Lay out all 8 bread slices.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the jam on 4 of the slices, right to the edges.
- Leave the other 4 slices plain.
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Tip: Keep jam off the outer faces of the bread so it doesn't burn in the pan.
4
Build the sandwiches
- On each jam-covered slice, layer 1 slice Swiss, one-quarter of the ham (2 oz/55 g), one-quarter of the turkey (2 oz/55 g), then a second slice of Swiss.
- Top with a plain bread slice and press down firmly.
- Trim any meat that overhangs the edges.
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Ready when: Each sandwich is even and compact, with cheese on both sides of the meat.
Tip: Cheese on both sides of the meat acts as glue and helps hold the sandwich together.
5
Heat the skillet
- Melt 1 portion of the butter (1 tablespoon/14 g) in a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until it foams and the foam begins to subside.
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Ready when: Butter is foamy and swirls easily, but is not browned.
6
Soak the first two
- Dip one sandwich in the batter for about 10 seconds per side, so the bread absorbs batter but isn't soggy.
- Let excess drip off, then place it in the skillet.
- Repeat with a second sandwich.
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Ready when: Bread looks evenly coated and slightly glossy.
Tip: Hold each sandwich together with your palm while flipping it in the dish so the layers don't slide.
7
Pan-fry the first batchOven 200°F / 95°C
- Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula once after flipping, until both sides are deep golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer through the side into the center of each sandwich; it must read 165°F (74°C).
- If it reads lower, move the sandwich to the rack in the 200°F (95°C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes and check again.
- Keep finished sandwiches on the rack in the oven.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown, cheese is visibly melting at the edges, and the center reads 165°F (74°C).
Tip: If the exterior browns in under 3 minutes, lower the heat so the center can warm through.
8
Cook the second batch
- Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, add another 1 tablespoon of butter, and repeat soaking and frying with the remaining 2 sandwiches.
- Use the last tablespoon of butter if the pan looks dry.
- Check the center of each sandwich reads 165°F (74°C) before moving it to the rack.
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Ready when: Golden brown on both sides with melted cheese and a center temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Wiping out the pan prevents browned bits from burning on the second batch.
9
Rest and slice
- Let the sandwiches rest for 2 minutes on the rack so the cheese sets slightly.
- Cut each in half diagonally with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
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Ready when: Cheese is soft but no longer runny.
10
Dust and serve
- Dust with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve, if using.
- Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of jam for 15 seconds in the microwave to loosen it, and serve alongside for dipping.
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Ready when: Sandwiches are lightly snowy-white on top; jam is pourable.

Good to know

Tips

Don't over-soak: 10 seconds per side is enough. Longer soaking leaves a soggy, undercooked center.
Always verify the center reaches 165°F (74°C) with an instant-read thermometer; golden crust alone doesn't prove the turkey and egg are safe.
Cover the skillet with a lid for the last minute of cooking per side if the cheese is slow to melt.
Cut the sandwich with a serrated knife to avoid squashing the bread and squeezing out the filling.

Make ahead

Assemble the sandwiches (without soaking) up to 4 hours ahead, wrap tightly and refrigerate. Whisk the batter and keep it covered in the fridge, then re-whisk, soak and fry just before serving. Cold sandwiches may need a few extra minutes in the oven to reach 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Refrigerate cooked sandwiches in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Reheat from fridge or frozen on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes (15 to 20 from frozen) until the center reaches 165°F (74°C) and the outside is crisp. Avoid the microwave, which makes the bread soggy.

Substitutions

Swiss cheese slices → Gruyère or provolone. Gruyère is nuttier and melts beautifully; provolone is milder.
seedless raspberry jam → strawberry or blackberry jam. Any smooth, slightly tart jam works; thin it with a few drops of water if it's very stiff.
white sandwich bread slices → brioche or challah slices. Richer and sweeter; soak for only 5 to 8 seconds per side as it absorbs quickly.
whole milk → half-and-half. Gives a richer, more custardy coating.