Monte Cristo Sandwich With Crisp Egg-Dipped Edges and Powdered Sugar

It is 12:30 on a Friday, the butter is melting, and you are about to make a sandwich that cannot decide whether it is lunch or dessert. This monte cristo sandwich takes 15 minutes and one skillet, and it is a relationship we respect. Ham, swiss and golden egg-battered bread get a snow of powdered sugar, and jam on the side keeps things interesting.

Ham and swiss in a French toast jacket, finished like a dessert and eaten like a very good lunch.

The monte cristo is a sweet and salty sandwich: a ham and swiss sandwich dipped in egg and milk, fried in butter and dusted with sugar. The recipe makes two, so it is a lunch for two, or a pair of sandwiches for one very decisive person. It is rich, a little bit silly and entirely satisfying, which is a fair argument for a monte cristo sandwich on a day you cannot decide.

How to make it

1. Layer 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of swiss cheese between 2 slices of bread to form each sandwich and repeat to make 2 sandwiches total.
2. Whisk the 2 eggs with 2 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a shallow dish.
3. Dip both sides of each sandwich in the egg mixture until coated.
4. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat.
5. Cook each sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and the cheese melts.
6. Dust the cooked sandwiches with 2 tbsp powdered sugar.
7. Serve each sandwich warm with 1/4 cup jam on the side.

Notes

Cooked leftovers keep three to four days refrigerated, per USDA FSIS. A monte cristo sandwich is crispest straight from the pan, because the crisp coating softens as it sits. If you have half a sandwich left, wrap it and reheat it in a skillet or toaster oven, and add a fresh dusting of sugar.

Build the sandwiches first, before anything else is warm. Lay two slices of ham and one slice of swiss on a slice of bread, and cover with a second slice. Press it flat with the palm of your hand so the layers stay together when you dip it, and make both sandwiches the same way.

Whisk the eggs and the milk with a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow dish wide enough to hold a whole sandwich. A pie plate or a baking dish works well. Whisk until no streaks of white remain, because a streaky batter cooks into patchy coating.

Dip both sides of each sandwich, as the method says, then lift it and let the extra drip off. You want a thin, even coat that soaks in a little, and not a heavy, dripping one. Too much batter leaves the sandwich eggy and flabby, while a quick dip gives you crisp, golden edges.

Here is the SwipeCart angle: this is the lunch for a date who has been watching you cook and wondering what the angle is. The angle is jam. Salt, sugar and a golden crust arrive on one plate, and you look as if you planned the whole thing.

Melt the butter over medium heat and wait until it foams gently. Cook each sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Medium heat gives the cheese time to melt before the outside gets too dark.

Swaps that actually work

The ham, the swiss and the egg dip are the point, so leave them alone. They are what make this a monte cristo rather than a grilled cheese, and the trio of salty, nutty and eggy is what the dish is built on.

White bread is the traditional choice, and it works because it is soft and holds the batter. Brioche or challah makes a richer sandwich and browns a little faster, so watch the pan. A very thin sliced bread can tear, and a very thick one can leave the cheese unmelted in the middle.

Ham can be swapped for turkey or a mix of the two. Deli slices work better than thick ones, since they fold and stack neatly.

Swiss can be replaced with gruyere, which is a little richer and nuttier, or with provolone for something milder. Any sliced cheese that melts easily will do the job.

Jam is up to you. Raspberry and strawberry are classic, and apricot or fig jam gives a different sweetness. The recipe uses a quarter cup per sandwich, as a side for dipping, and you can use more or less to taste. Add a spoonful of mustard on the side if you want something sharp.

Powdered sugar can be left off if you prefer a savory sandwich, and maple syrup is a good alternative for dipping.

The swap that costs you the dish is dropping the egg dip. Without the egg and milk, this is a toasted ham and cheese, and the crisp, custardy jacket is what makes it a monte cristo.

If it goes wrong

The outside is dark but the cheese has not melted. The heat was too high. Lower the heat to medium or medium-low, cover the pan with a lid for a minute to help the cheese melt, and next time give it the full 3 to 4 minutes a side.

The coating is soggy and eggy. The sandwich sat too long in the batter, or it took on too much. Cook it a minute longer on each side over gentle heat, and next time lift it out of the batter quickly and let the extra drip off.

The sandwich fell apart in the pan. The layers were not pressed together, or it was flipped too early. Use a wide spatula, support it with a fork, and press the halves back together once you turn it. Call it rustic and pass the jam: a confident cook never admits it was a plot twist.

It tastes flat. A pinch of salt in the batter goes a long way, so add it next time. For now, a sprinkle of flaky salt or a little more jam on the side balances the sweet and the salty.

What to serve with it

The default is the monte cristo sandwich with jam on the side, as the recipe says. It is a complete plate on its own.

The better version adds a simple green salad dressed with something sharp, like lemon and a little mustard. The acid cuts the richness of the fried sandwich, and it gives the plate a bit of freshness.

If you have a bag of potato chips or a handful of berries in the kitchen, put a few next to the sandwich. Salt on one side and tart fruit on the other fit nicely with the sweet and salty main.

As lunch the next day, the leftovers are better as a fresh sandwich than a reheated one. Keep the sliced ham and cheese on hand, and make a new one when you want it. It takes only 15 minutes.

Why this one earns its place

Some sandwiches are fast and forgettable. This monte cristo sandwich is fast and not. It comes together in a skillet in 15 minutes and feels like something you would order at a restaurant and then tell people about.

Swipe it into your week for the lunch that needs to be a little bit special, and let the agent shop the bread, the ham, the swiss and the jam.

If you like a sandwich that goes all in, try Cubano or Katsu Sando, and Quick Weeknight Dinner Ideas is worth a look when you want something else that is fast.

More like this: all American recipes in Crave Corner.