Swirled Monte Cristo Bites
Creamy havarti cheese, ham, smoked turkey, and tangy raspberry preserves make these Monte Cristo Bites an irresistible party appetizer!
Note: This post is sponsored by Castello. You can get creative with any of Castello’s uniquely crafted cheeses. Click here for a $1 off coupon to create your own gourmet masterpiece!
One thing has become abundantly clear during this pregnancy. This baby LOVES cheese.ย It started with my insatiable desire for cream cheese, quickly advanced to macaroni and cheese, and has finally settled firmly on grilled cheese loaded with banana peppers. Yes, banana peppers. I don’t even know who I am anymore.
At this point, I think I could eat a grilled cheese every single day and never tire of it. Still, I enjoyย a little variety in my cheese delivery system, and these Monte Cristo Puff Pastry Bites are giving my beloved grilled cheese a run for their money.
When I discovered the Monte Cristo sandwich in college I instantly fell in love. Stuffed with ham, turkey, and cheese then dunked in egg and pan fried like french toast, it’s a combination that satisfies both my sweet and savory tooth.
I recently got the opportunity to try Castello’s Creamy Havarti Cheese, and the moment I tasted this slightly tangy, extra smooth cheese, I knew it was made for Monte Cristos. Both the texture and flavor of this cheese lends itself well to fruity combinations. Though it was tough not to eat the entire block in one sitting, I knew this cheese was destined for more than just a knife and my mouth.
I decided to stray a bit from tradition and turn the classic Monte Cristo Sandwich into a bite sized appetizer, because bite sized = I can have five. Traditionally, Monte Cristos are served with some kind of fruit topping. I know some of you cringe at the idea of spreading fruit on a ham and cheese sandwich, but trust me, this combo is addictive. Savory ham and melty cheese wrapped in a flaky puff pastry blanket and dunked in tangy raspberry preserves? It’s enough to make you hoard all of these for yourself and grab some store bought cookies for the party instead (<<<No shame).
Made in under 30 minutes, this is an appetizer recipe you’ll definitely want to keep around for last minute parties. Or hey, maybe just lunch today.
Monte Cristo Swirls
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 8-10 slices ham
- 8-10 slices smoked turkey
- 2 cups shredded Creamy Havarti cheese
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup raspberry preserves
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
Note: This post is sponsored by Castello. You can get creative with any of Castello’s uniquely crafted cheeses. Click here for a $1 off coupon to create your own gourmet masterpiece!
Do you think these can be made the night before and baked the day off? Or made ahead of time and reheated to warm them and crisp them? Thanks
I would like to make this for a reception, where we would not eat until 1.5 hours after arrival. Would they be good at room temperature? Would transporting with a lid or foil cause them to become soggy?
Thanks
I think these would taste ok at room temperature, but they probably would get a little soggy if they were baked and then covered with a lid. Are you able to keep them in a low oven at all during that wait time?
I also discovered the Monte Cristo in college, but had the opposite reaction: I was horrified by it. BUT, back in the day, I really just did not like sweet and savory foods mixing. My taste buds have definitely done a 180 on that in the last 10 years, because now I’m ALL ABOUT all things Monte Cristo. I am so in love with this recipe, it’s not even funny.
Ha! That’s totally my husband’s reaction. He hates the sweet and savory together. (I think he’s totally crazy). He downed about five of these swirls, but scorned the sauce. He doesn’t know what he’s missing!
Courtney, I freaking LOVE your site’s redesign! It looks amazing! The logo/header (whatever you call it) is absolutely perfect for your blog and your vision. And lady, monte cristo sandwiches are the best and I love that you turned it into a delicious ‘n easy appetizer. Good call on using raspberry preserves for that sweet ‘n salty combo.
Ah Nancy! THANK YOU! That means so much to me. I really wanted something that was very “me” so I’m glad other people think it reflects that well. I’m currently wishing we could be at the same table dunking way too many monte cristo bites!