The Monte Cristo Served On Our Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread

A Monte Cristo sandwich is a French-inspired dish of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and bread that is dipped in an egg and cream batter, and deep-fried or pan fried (something like French toast). And it is a close relative of the  French croque monsieur (see our recipe here). It is often served with powdered sugar and raspberry or strawberry preserves. But the real key to this sandwich's goodness is Abigail's Oven Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread.

The sweetness of our recipe makes our bread the perfect base for this delightful sandwich, that has a creamy custard center. This Sandwich works well as a breakfast, lunch, or brunch sandwich. Honestly, it is that good!

The Monte Cristo sandwich is thought to have originated in France in the 19th century. It was popularized in the United States in the early 20th century by restaurants in San Francisco and New Orleans.

The traditional Monte Cristo sandwich is made with brioche, but it can also be made with sourdough, croissants or thick white bread. The ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese are layered between the bread, and the sandwich is dipped in a batter made with eggs, cream or whole milk, and flour. The sandwich is then deep or pan-fried until golden brown.

Monte Cristo sandwiches are often served with powdered sugar and raspberry or strawberry preserves. They can also be served with a side of maple syrup or honey.

Here is our recipe for a Monte Cristo sandwich:

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread, sliced
• 1 pound thinly sliced ham
• 1 pound thinly sliced turkey
• 1 pound Swiss cheese, sliced
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup cream or whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Butter, for frying
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Raspberry or strawberry preserves, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper.
3. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the milk and eggs.
4. Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture, then coat in the flour mixture.
   
5. Heat the butter in a large skillet over low to medium heat.
6. Fry the bread slices in batches until golden brown on both sides.
7. Transfer the fried bread slices to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
8. To assemble the sandwiches, layer 2 slices of bread with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese.
9. Repeat layering until all of the ingredients are used.
10. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately with powdered sugar and raspberry or strawberry preserves.

Enjoy!

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And remember, if you are looking for a place to get delicious sourdough bread for Sunday brunch, we are in more than 30 stores throughout Utah, at Farmers Markets in Ogden, SLC Downtown, Murray, So Jordan, Draper, Daybreak, Provo, and Spanish Fork. Or course, on weekdays you can always drop by The Store at the Bakery: Mon 12:00 PM-5:00 PM, Tue 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, and Wed-Fri 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, at 421 South 200 East in Spanish Fork, Utah.

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Darryl Alder, blogs for Abigail’s Oven, The Voice of Scouting, The Boy Scout, EternalCore.org, and SearchIsaiah.org. His hobbies include gardening vegetables, annuals, and perennials; baking artisan sourdough bread; outdoor cooking, and Scouting. You can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.