Monte Cristo Sandwich with Strawberry Jam, No Added Refined Sugar

Method

1. Cook the strawberry jam: blend 176g of strawberries until smooth. Dry mix 2g of NH pectin with part of 36g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend. Warm the strawberries to hand temperature, scatter in the pectin mixture, stir well, hold a gentle simmer for exactly 2 minutes, lower the heat and add the rest of the blend with a pinch of salt, take it off the heat to cool for 5 minutes and stir in 6ml of lime juice. This makes about 200g of jam, of which this dish uses 50g, and the rest goes into a sealed jar in the refrigerator to be used within 2 weeks.
2. Trim the crusts from the 3 slices of sandwich bread.
3. Spread a layer of strawberry jam over the bread and level it with a spoon, 50g in total across the whole sandwich.
4. Lay 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of ham on top. Spread jam on another slice of bread and press the two jam faces together.
5. Spread more jam on the top surface, lay on the remaining 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of ham, then set the last slice of bread on top and press gently so the layers hold.
6. Beat 3 chicken eggs in a bowl, dip the sandwich until it is soaked through, then roll it in 100g of breadcrumbs so every face is covered.
7. Melt 10g of butter in a pan over medium heat and fry the sandwich until each face is golden and crisp.
8. Let it rest for a minute, then cut it into two triangles and arrange them on a plate.

Tips

• Without NH pectin, a little xanthan gum works, and the jam thickens as it cools with stirring.
• If the jam is still loose, spread it thinly and let the sandwich rest a few minutes to dry before the egg dip.
• Two rounds through the crumbs build an even coat that stays crisp longer.
• Medium heat browns the outside slowly enough for the cheese inside to melt.
• A gentle press on each layer before the egg dip keeps the sandwich from falling open.