Monte Cristo Sandwich {Bennigan's Copycat}

Name: Monte Cristo Sandwich {Bennigan's Copycat}
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 3 h 35 min
Yield: 6 serving
Ingredients: 9 slices honey wheat bread; 9 slices roasted turkey; 9 slices honey ham; 3 slices mild cheddar cheese; 3 slices Swiss cheese; 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 ⅔ cups water; 2 large eggs; vegetable or canola oil; ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar; red raspberry preserves; honey mustard

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5.0

66 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Chill
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 35 mins
Servings
6
Calories
896 kcal
Course
Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine
American

Monte Cristo Sandwich {Bennigan's Copycat}

Iris Hanson

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Monte Cristo Sandwich is piled high with ham, turkey, cheese, and three slices of honey wheat bread that is dipped in batter and deep-fried to a golden brown.

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Ingredients

Servings

Sandwich

9 slices honey wheat bread
9 slices roasted turkey, deli meat - we prefer a thick cut
9 slices honey ham, deli meat - we prefer a thick cut
3 slices mild cheddar cheese
3 slices Swiss cheese

Batter*

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ⅔ cups water
2 large eggs, beaten
vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying
½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar

Dipping Sauce

red raspberry preserves, for dipping
honey mustard, (optional) for dipping

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Instructions

Sandwich

Assemble sandwiches on a work surface. Start with one slice of bread, three slices of turkey, 1 slice of Swiss cheese, another slice of bread, three slices of ham, 1 slice of cheddar cheese and one final slice of bread.
Slice the sandwich diagonally and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours (up to overnight). Chilling allows the sandwich to firm up which will help it hold together in the frying process.

Batter

After chilling the sandwiches, make the batter*.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl combine water and egg, whisking to combine. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk well until all ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Set aside while you heat the oil.

Frying the Sandwiches

Pour about 2 inches (or more) of oil into a large pot (enough to cover the sandwich) and set it over medium heat. Heat the oil to a temperature between 325°F-350°F.
Working one half a sandwich at a time, remove the plastic wrap from the chilled sandwich and dip it into the batter with your hands. Then, use metal tongs to dip the sandwich into the hot oil. You may have to hold down the sandwich to submerge in oil or flip it. Fry until golden brown (4-5 minutes with homemade batter or closer to 4 minutes with pancake batter ). Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain slightly. Repeat with the remaining halves.
Sprinkle the fried sandwich lightly with confectioners' sugar and serve with a side of raspberry preserves for dipping.

Notes

*You can also storebought pancake batter, like Krusteaz (the brand we tested). The different batters can result in a sweeter, thicker, or crispier sandwich.