There was a time in my life before Monte Cristo waffles, and a time after. Before, the Monte Cristo sandwich and the waffle existed as two separate, much-loved brunch entities. One satisfied certain pre-noon desires for savory, the other for syrup-drenched sweet. After, they were one. One glorious stack of crispy golden waffles stuffed with the ham and cheese of a Monte Cristo, then dusted with powdered sugar and topped with spoonfuls of raspberry sauce. Oh, yes. There is no going back.
Ingredients
- For the warm raspberry sauce: 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup sugar, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup water
- For the waffles: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 6 ounces deli ham, diced small (about 1 1/2 cups diced)
- 3 ounces (1 cup) shredded Gruyère cheese
- Powdered sugar, to serve
Directions
STEP 1To make the raspberry sauce, combine the raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the raspberries break down into a thick sauce, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste and stir in more sugar if desired. Remove from heat. STEP 2To make the waffles, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, eggs, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula to form a fairly thick batter. Stir in the ham and shredded cheese. STEP 3Warm your waffle iron. When the iron is ready, scoop enough batter into each square to just about cover the square. Cook until dark golden, typically about 4 to 5 minutes depending on your waffle iron. Transfer the cooked waffles to a cooling rack or serve immediately. Continue cooking the remaining batter. STEP 4To serve, put a spoonful of powdered sugar in a strainer and gently sift the sugar over the tops of the waffles. Serve with the raspberry sauce. STEP 5Waffles will keep refrigerated for a week and are best reheated in the toaster.