Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable Version)

French bread soaked in cinnamon-vanilla custard with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked until golden and topped with powdered sugar.

# What You Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 8 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

→ Meats

08 - 1 cup cooked ham, chopped
09 - 1 cup cooked turkey, chopped

→ Toppings

10 - Powdered sugar for serving
11 - Maple syrup for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, combine bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until thoroughly combined.
04 - Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and meat combination, pressing gently to ensure bread absorbs liquid.
05 - Distribute shredded Swiss cheese evenly across the top layer.
06 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to permit adequate soaking.
07 - Bake with foil cover for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until casserole sets and top achieves golden brown color.
09 - Allow casserole to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
10 - Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You assemble it once and feed a crowd, no standing over the stove required.
  • The combination of sweet cinnamon custard with salty ham and creamy cheese hits every craving at once.
  • It tastes like you ordered brunch at a fancy cafe, but you never changed out of pajamas.
02 -
  • If you skip the resting time, the bread won't absorb enough custard and you'll end up with dry pockets.
  • Baking it covered first prevents the top from browning too fast while the inside is still wet.
  • Let it cool for at least 10 minutes or it will fall apart when you try to slice it.
03 -
  • Use day-old or lightly toasted bread so it holds its shape and doesn't get soggy.
  • Press the bread down gently after pouring the custard to ensure every piece is coated.
  • Let the casserole rest after baking so the custard sets and the slices hold together cleanly.
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