It’s been a little too long since I’ve had a chance to travel to Disneyland. I can always tell when I need to schedule a trip, because I start dreaming of having a Monte Cristo Sandwich!
Monte Cristo Sandwich at Blue Bayou
This amazing sandwich is, hands down, my most favorite meal in all of Disneyland, and whether I have it during lunch at Blue Bayou, or I stop in Cafe Orleans, one thing is certain: I will make time and room for one on every single visit!
Close Up of Monte Cristo Sandwich
But if you haven’t the opportunity to journey westward, you’re in luck! Because today, we’re sharing the recipe for this showstopper right here. So go ahead and make one at home. It won’t replace the beautiful scenery around New Orleans Square, but if you close your eyes, you might be able to pretend. That’s totally my plan. 😉
Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwich
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2-inch thick
8 thin slices ham
8 thin slices turkey
8 thin slices Swiss cheese (make it meatless by removing turkey and ham and including a couple more cheese choices!)
3 cups canola oil
Confectioners sugar
Blackberry preserves
Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside.
Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of bowl.
On one slice of bread, arrange 2 slices of ham, turkey, and cheese, covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice each sandwich in half diagonally.
Heat oil to between 365 degrees F and 375 degrees F in a 10-inch pan. Do not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil.
Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the other three sandwiches.
Cook one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature between each.
Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.
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This is one of my favorite Disney dishes of all time. I had it over ten years ago now, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Kristin — So glad you enjoy it as much as I do!! Send us a pic if you make it 🙂
really right after christmas is not an appropriate time to tease us with something like this…
I have 2 ?s about this .. 1 why does the bread in the pic appear to be folded in half,, and 2 could i just use a deepfryer?
CanadianLove – I would agree – I see the folded bread. Makes more sense to lose less cheese. Also – I’m confused as well. You dip half and fry half – then dip the other half and fry that half? Sounds like salmonella waiting to happen. I say fold in half like the real mccoy, secure with tooth pick and deep fry that puppy! Looks delish though. Will definitely be making that this week (seeing as I’m still finishing off the O’Hana bread pudding and lemon curd from Food & Wine that I made for Christmas dinner this week). What a great way to bring Disney home.
@ Joy O i think when they say dip half then the other half its becuase you cut it in half. not the top half than the bottom??
I have only been to Disneyland 7 times in my life (but that has been in the last 5 years) and I have never had the Monte Cristo 🙁 I know…. the shame!!! But…. I will be there for the tinkerbell hlaf marathon and plan on getting it this time 🙂 cant wait to try it. I have a list going of food I have read about on here that are “Must eats” when we go. Only 2 more weeks so excited!!
This is my favorite– every year i eat at least one- with my group and then usually before i leave i will go all by myself to enjoy another one.
I have made this many times at home, you fold the bread in half because it is easier to dip then place in the oil.
I always remember my first trip to Disney, and my first monte cristo sandwich. Every time I go back I have one. It is one of my favorite meals there and brings such good memories of that trip.
This has been a tradition of mine for years! The Blue Bayou has been a wonderful memory since I was a child and my parents took me there. Now for the last several years my husband has carried on the tradition for me because he knows how much it meant to me. The Monte Cristo has always been my favorite along with overlooking the Pirates of the Carribean! Wonderful memories!!
Here’s a tip for this recipe let the batter rest at least 4 hours or it’ll be very thin and won’t brown up as well for that nice crisp when you take the first bite. Also being from south Florida I love to substitute guava jam instead of the blackberry
What is done with the egg, water,flour mixture? It says mix it together then doesn’t say what to do with it.
Kathie…it’s the batter that you dip the sandwich into before cooking. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil. 4th paragraph.
Wow, similar experiences as many of you. I have found some friends. I am not alone. Every time I see Monte Cristo on a menu, I have to explain to whomever I am with what a Monte Cristo is and the first time I had one at the Blue Bayou restaurant many years ago. The restaurant that is set on a swamp or bayou at the beginning of the Pirates of the Caribbean with the fireflies, bayou sounds, and all. I never feel I am able to convey the ambiance or the delicious sandwich; judging by the blank looks.
Thank you AJ for posting this recipe. I have never found another like my first.
the only thing bad about this sandwich is you can’t get it at Walt Disney World. I’m so glad I came across the page. Now I can make it at home for my son. thank you !!
I also noticed that it looks like the sandwiches are folded – could someone please explain how to do that? I can’t find it anywhere on the internet.
Oh, and I visited WDW in the 1980s and am sure I got this sandwich at (what was then called) The Land Grille. To this day, my oldest son points out Monte Cristos if they’re ever on the menu at a restaurant we’re eating at, reminding me of how much I loved the one i had a WDW.
Since my kids have never been to WDL, I know this is where I had the sandwich. Was yummy too!
Anyway, can someone please explain how the folding is done??
I love how no one commenting has bothered to make it. Well, maybe when I make this within the next week I will post a picture and let you all know how it went.
Well, it’s been made. I folded the bread in half but I may try it how it says in this recipe next time just cuz I felt like I couldn’t get much meat and cheese into it when folding it. It was actually quite tasty and it’s one we’ll make again for sure. (I’m not sure how to include a picture on this reply otherwise I would have.)
I didn’t try to make it because I couldn’t understand how the folding works, and didn’t want to make a big mess of it. It wouldn’t be a disaster if I did it wrong, I just like to understand the directions before I attempt a recipe, is all.
Hopefully someone will provide a “how to” for some of us.
We made these today with my best friend who is the ultimate Disney fan, this is her favorite meal there and she goes multiple times a year. We discussed the picture and how they do it in DL, they do not fold the bread, they make the sandwich and then they cut it in half at an angle so you end up with triangles. It was very easy to dip the sandwich halves in the batter, turn over and dip other side then into the hot oil. The oil was close to an inch deep so the sandwich stayed together and was easy to flip. Everyone agreed that they were super delicious almost as good as DL. Some of us wanted more meat to make it a little more savory, we thought one more slice of each would be good. All in all this is a great recipe especially with homemade egg bread which we made the day before. Highly recommended.
@Jenifer – That’s helpful information to know regarding the preparation of this sandwich. Thanks for posting!
Delicious! I always loved the Monte Cristo at Blue Bayou–to the point that I got a chef at Crystal Palace in Florida to make it for me during two separate visits!
This is better. I made it for Sunday lunch and we all enjoyed it! I had such long slices of ham, turkey and cheese that I only used 1 of each, folded in half, and next time I’m going to remember to have the bread pre-sliced at the bakery, so it’s not too thick. (It took a lot longer than 3 minutes to get each half cooked properly.) Other than that, the recipe was simple, and it tasted delicious. Another winner from Disney!
There’s nothing like a good Monte Cristo, but when I look at this photo, I see too much batter and not enough filling. The Monte Cristo I am accustomed to and love is double-decker like a club sandwich and the batter is lighter, thinner and crisp. Picture in your mind the peaks/ripples in the batter on a piece of Long John Silver’s fish back when it was good.
My first monte cristo was at Disneyland. They brought out these 2 triangular fried chunks and I wondered what I had ordered. Couragesely I bit into it… and fell in love. I’ve never had a better one. I keep looking. French toast is not an acceptable substitute. Someday I’ll be back…