Ham and Cheese French Toast (Monte Cristo Sandwich)
Sweet and salty, this is the perfect stuffed French toast (or Monte Cristo sandwich) when you want a twist on the traditional dish. Made with egg-based bread such as challah or brioche, it's soft, gooey, hearty and wonderful served with maple syrup.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 slices egg bread such as challah or brioche, or a sweet one like pulla
- 8 thin slices of ham I like smoked
- 4 thick slices of mozzarella or other melting cheese
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons milk
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter
- Maple syrup or powdered sugar to serve
Instructions
- Put the bread slices on a cutting board and top half of them with 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese.
- Top with the remaining slices of bread to make sandwiches and press down a bit.
- Lightly beat eggs with milk in a shallow dish or bowl that can accommodate at least one sandwich. Season with some salt.
- Place sandwiches in the egg mixture, about 30 seconds on each side, so they soak some of the egg and milk.
- Melt butter (½ tablespoon per sandwich you're cooking) in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Cook sandwiches on the hot skillet in a single layer, as many as fit your pan, over low or medium-low heat until golden and the cheese is beginning to melt.
- Repeat with the rest of the French toast slices.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Bread: we favor brioche or challah, but you can use sandwich bread. The latter will not have the contrast of a richer eggy bread. We don't use store-bought sliced bread as it can be too soft and not have enough structure to hold the filling well. But that's personal preference.
Ham: any type you regularly use works well. We use smoked ham, leftover glazed ham during the holidays, or natural ham. We like 2 slices of ham per slice of bread, but you can increase or decrease that amount.
Cheese: my top picks are melty Swiss or mozzarella. Fontina and white cheddar work well for a sharper flavor. As with the ham, adjust the amount of slices to your personal preference.
Serving: drizzle with maple syrup, honey, or similar. You can add a side bowl of fresh fruit salad to add some freshness.