Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole
This Monte Cristo casserole layers ham, turkey, and Gruyere cheese between chunks of custard-soaked bread, all baked until golden and topped with confectioners' sugar. Serve with raspberry preserves for that classic sweet-savory twist!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 7 cups bread cubes about 24 ounces
- 10 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 16 ounces cooked ham thinly sliced; (or sliced deli ham)
- 16 ounces roast turkey breast thinly sliced; (or deli sliced turkey)
- 3 cups grated Gruyere cheese (12 ounces)
- ½ cup butter melted
- powdered sugar aka confectioners sugar
- Raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 225°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
- Place the bread cubes in a parchment-lined baking pan in a single layer.Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes to dry out. If you are using two or three day-old, stale bread then this step is not necessary. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the eggs, mustard salt, pepper, cream and milk in a food processor or regular blender. Process until well combined, then set aside until needed.
- Arrange the separate dishes of the bread, egg mixture, ham, turkey and cheese on a workspace.
To Assemble the Casserole:
- Add ⅓ of the bread to the bottom of the greased baking dish.
- Sprinkle ½ of the cheese on the bread and spread it out.
- Add ½ of ham slices to the top of the cheese layer.
- Place ½ of the turkey slices over the ham and pour ⅓ of the egg custard over the layer.Repeat with another layer: ⅓ of bread, cheese, ham and turkey and ⅓ of the egg custard.
- Process the remaining ⅓ bread cubes crumbs in a food processor or blender. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top and pour the remaining custard over the casserole. With a spatula, press down lightly on the top.
- Melt the butter in the microwave and drizzle over the top.Coat one side of a large piece of foil with oil and cover the casserole, oil side down, and refrigerate overnight.
To Bake the Monte Cristo Casserole:
- Heat the oven to 350°F and place the covered casserole dish in the middle position of the oven. Bake covered for 50 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until puffy in the center. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Transfer from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with a side of raspberry preserves
Notes
Use stale bread: Day-old bread soaks up the custard best. If using fresh bread, dry the cubes in a 225°F oven until crisp.
Pick a sturdy loaf: Rustic breads like Pugliese or sourdough hold their shape. Avoid soft sandwich bread.
Trim the crusts: They don’t absorb well and can affect the texture.
Measure by the pan: An easy way to gauge 7 cups is to fill the baking dish about ¾ full with bread cubes, then remove them until assembly.
Press it down: Use a spatula to gently press the layers so the custard fully saturates the bread.
Grease the foil: Lightly oil the underside before covering to keep it from sticking to the top.
Rest before baking: Let the assembled casserole sit for 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) so the bread absorbs the custard completely.
Finish uncovered: Remove the foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking for a golden, lightly crisp top.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 1139mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 973IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 462mg | Iron: 3mg
