The Monte Cristo Sandwich is a must-try culinary delight for anyone who wants to enjoy the Disney magic at home. This iconic sandwich, served at Disneyland's Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans, combines the savory flavors of ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese with a crispy, golden batter. Topped with confectioners' sugar, it's a perfect blend of sweet and savory.
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Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
This legendary sandwich has two primary components: The batter and the sandwich.
- The Batter: For the batter, I used all-purpose flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, water, and a large egg.
- The Sandwich: The sandwich has Swiss cheese, sliced turkey, and sliced ham layered between slices of Brioche bread.
Making the Batter - Step-by-Step
Making this light batter is super simple.
- I started by whisking the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Then, I added the water and egg to the dry ingredients.
- After that, I whisked the dry and wet ingredients together until I had a smooth batter. That's it for the batter!
Assembling the Monte Cristo Sandwich
Assembling the Monte Cristo sandwich was just as simple as making the batter.
- I placed two slices of bread on a cutting board. On one bread slice, I placed a piece of Swiss cheese, two slices of ham, two slices of turkey, and a final slice of Swiss cheese.
- Then, I placed the other slice of bread on the sandwich and cut the sandwich in half diagonally.
- Finally, I placed a toothpick in each sandwich half to help hold it together. That's it for the sandwich assembly!
Finishing the Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Now comes the somewhat messy part!
- I placed a thermometer probe on my 2-quart saucier and added Canola oil. I heated the oil to 375°F. You could also use a Dutch oven or even a deep fryer. I haven't, however, tried this in an air fryer.
- Once the oil reached the desired temperature, I carefully dipped one of the sandwich halves in the batter. At this point, I didn't worry about coating the portion with the toothpick sticking out.
- With a toothpick sticking up, I placed the battered sandwich in the hot oil. Then, with a small spoon, I spread more batter on top. I found this easier than trying to cover the entire sandwich before adding it to the oil.
- After the sandwich was set, I carefully removed the toothpick.
- I let the sandwich continue cooking until one side was golden brown. Then, I turned it over to allow the other side to cook.
- Once the other side was golden brown, I removed the sandwich from the oil and placed it on a paper towel-lined plate to allow it to drain. I repeated this with the remaining sandwiches.
- Before serving the Monte Cristo sandwiches, I cut them in half and sprinkled them with confectioners' or powdered sugar.
Making the Disney-Inspired Monte Cristo Sandwich at home is a delicious way to bring a piece of happiest place on earth into your kitchen. With its crispy exterior, melty cheese, and the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, this sandwich will surely become a favorite in your household. Disney fans young and old will thank you. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
The official Disney recipe used slices of egg bread like challah sliced ½-inch thick. For this copycat recipe, I used sliced Brioche bread that I purchased at Walmart. You could also use Farmhouse white or a soft white bread like Sara Lee. You could also use texas toast.
You can assemble the sandwiches without dipping them in the batter and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. However, it's best to prepare the batter before frying and serve this delicious sandwich right after frying and dusting with confectioners' sugar.
Either Gruyère or Provolone cheese can be substituted in this recipe.
This amazing sandwich is like french toast but with cheese, thin slices of turkey, and thin slices of ham on the inside.
The original recipe calls for serving it with blackberry preserves on the side. However, it's also delicious with fruit preserves, berry puree, or fresh fruit on the side.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- To create a melty, gooey center, ensure the cheese is on both sides of the meat.
- I've found that it's much easier to dip half of the sandwich in the batter rather than the whole sandwich. That's why I cut the sandwich in half diagonally.
- I like to use a candy or oil thermometer when frying the Disneyland monte cristo sandwich. It's important to maintain a higher temperature to minimize the sandwich becoming greasy.
- For the traditional version, serve with a side of blackberry preserves or blackberry jam for dipping, which complements the sandwich's savory and sweet flavors. Raspberry jam is also a great option.
Other Disney-Inspired Recipes
Consider these classics if you'd like to experience the Disney magic in your home.
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Disney-Inspired Monte Cristo Sandwich
Equipment
- 2-quart saucier or Dutch oven for frying the Monte Cristo sandwiches
- Candy or oil thermometer
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 ½ cup (7.5 ounces, 213 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (8 ounces, 237 ml) water
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Monte Cristo Sandwich
- 4 slices Brioche bread, ½-inch thick (See Tip 1)
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices deli ham
- 4 slices deli turkey
- Batter from above
- 2 ½ cups Canola oil for frying (See Tip 2)
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
Batter
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the water and egg to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Monto Cristo Sandwiches
- Place two slices of bread on a cutting board. Layer one slice of bread with one slice of Swiss cheese, two slices of ham, two slices of turkey, and the remaining slice of Swiss cheese.
- Top with the other slice of bread. Diagonally cut the sandwich in half, and secure each piece with a toothpick.
- Attach the thermometer to a 2-quart saucier or Dutch oven. Add the oil and heat to 375°F.
- Coat one half sandwich in the batter, add to the hot oil, toothpick side up. Spoon additional batter on top of the sandwich to cover bare spots. (See Tip 3)
- When the sandwich is set. remove the toothpick and continue cooking until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown.
- Remove from the oil and drain well on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining sandwich halves.
- While still warm, dust the Monte Cristo sandwiches with confectioners' sugar and serve.
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings.
Video
Tips/Notes
- Use a sturdy ½-inch thick white bread in this recipe. If you can't find Brioche, use Farmhouse white or Sara Lee soft white bread.
- You want about one inch of oil in the pan, depending on the size of your pan.
- It's pretty messy trying to dip the sandwich in the batter. I have found that it's easiest to dip the sides and bottom and not worry about the top with the toothpick sticking out. Once the sandwich has been added to the hot oil, spoon additional batter on the top to cover it completely.
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