Chef John's Monte Cristo Benedict

Imagine the best French toast you've ever had, combined with the best ham and cheese sandwich you've ever had, topped with perfectly poached eggs. You don't need any Hollandaise because the poached egg yolks are the sauce.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 651 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 slices Cheddar cheese
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 8 thin slices cooked ham
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives, or to taste
• 4 thick slices day-old French bread
• 4 slices Havarti cheese
• 8 poached eggs
• 1 pinch kosher salt, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Whisk 2 eggs, cream, white sugar, salt, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and allspice together in a bowl until batter is thoroughly combined.

Step 3

Lay bread slices into batter, one at a time, and let bread absorb the mixture. Turn bread slices in batter until almost all batter has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and melt butter in the hot skillet. Cook bread slices in the hot butter until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer French toast slices to a baking sheet.

Step 5

Lay ham slices into the hot skillet and cook until meat begins to brown, about 1 minute per side.

Step 6

To assemble, place a Cheddar cheese slice on a slice of French toast, top with 2 slices of ham, and lay a Havarti cheese slice over ham.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until French toast pieces are no longer wet, the batter is set, and cheese has melted and begun to brown, about 20 minutes.

Step 8

Place sandwiches on serving plates and top each with 2 poached eggs. Season with kosher salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper.