A lovely little Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry is the perfect savoury snack. Pair it with a salad for a light lunch or serve them for a party spread. Anytime of day, they're going to be awesome.
Just because we can explain the science of food doesn't make it any less magical. Yes, we know that steam released from the layers of butter in a puff pastry causes it to rise and form those perfectly crunchy, flaky layers. But looking in the oven and watching the dough expand before your eyes still feels totally awesome. And that's nothing compared to that first crackly bit of that crisp pastry. It's practically transcendent.
Cooking and baking can sometimes feel like a chore, but when you open yourself up to the magick and wonder that's all around us, you can experience moments of awe every time you step into your kitchen.
What makes a Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry so awesome?
These simple little pastries are made with your favorite ham and grated cheese surrounded by flaky puff pastry. But what makes them extra awesome is an unusual spice blend I found in The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook. It's got your classic onion and garlic, but also cinnamon and clove, along with a few other delicious ingredients. It gives these pastries a unique and irresistible flavor.
My husband and I had to use all our restraint not to scarf down th whole lot of these the moment I finished shooting. As with all things puff pastry, they are at peak deliciousness fresh out of the oven, but they're great at room temperature as well. Serve them for an afternoon party or as a savoury little snack. I'd also eat one at breakfast or lunch. Basically, they're awesome enough for everything.
Magical Properties of Cheese
Cheese has been eaten for centuries, so of course, it holds lots of magick. I love that it carries the energy of happiness. I feel that deeply when I'm eating it. It's also the perfect magical ingredient to bring people together because it can be used for friendliness, cooperation, and positive communication. Cheese is ruled by the elements of earth and air and the planet Saturn, and is sacred to Apollo.
To learn more about the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this dish. The full details are in the recipe card below.
- Onion powder - or granules
- Chili powder
- Dried thyme
- Black pepper
- Ground allspice
- Ground cloves
- Ground cinnamon
- Garlic powder - or granules
- Salt - fine sea salt is great, but use whatever you have
- Puff pastry - I use refrigerated and ready rolled puff pastry because I'm lazy and proud of it.
- Ham - Use your favorite thinly sliced deli ham.
- Cheddar cheese - I like to go for something sharp. You can use grated or thinly sliced
- Egg - for the egg wash
You won't need anything fancy here, equipment wise. Just some measuring spoons, a baking sheet, and either parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Tips for making Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry
There's lots of space for creativity with this dish. Use your favorite ham and your favorite cheese. Be as generous or light-handed with the spice blend as you like. Make it your own. Here are a few quick tips to ensure your success.
- Mix up your spice blend in a container with a lid because you'll probably have some leftover for the next time you make these pastries or to add to other dishes if you like.
- Get all your ingredients ready to go before you take your puff pastry out of the fridge. You don't want the butter to start to melt before you get them in the oven.
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you put your pastries in. This will give them maximum puff.
- Try not to be excessively sloppy with your egg wash, otherwise you'll glue your pastries to the baking sheet.
These are best eaten the day they're baked, but you can store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for a couple of days. They just won't be as crisp as when they first came out of the oven.
I hope you've come to appreciate the magic of a Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry. It will only take on bite for you to realize how awesome they are.
Looking for more awesome ham & cheese recipes? Try this Homemade Moons Over My Hammy with scrambled eggs or a Ham & Cheese Twice Baked Potato.
PrintHam & Cheese Puff Pastry
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 pastries 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the spice blend:
- ½ teaspoon onion granules
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon garlic granules
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the pastries:
- 1 sheet (320 grams) pre-rolled puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
- 6 slices deli ham
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- Flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
For the spice blend:
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Store any leftovers in a sealed container.
For the pastries:
- Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C) and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Assemble all your ingredients, then open up your puff pastry sheet. Cut it into 6 rectangles. See note.
- Add a slice of ham and a pinch of cheese to each rectangle, then sprinkle on some of the spice blend. I just pinch it with my fingers and sprinkle it over. No need to measure.
- Fold two corners of your rectangle in toward each other and pinch to seal. Transfer your pastries to the baking sheet.
- Brush each pastry with the beaten egg, then sprinkle over more of the spice blend. Finally, sprinkle on some flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the pastries are puffed and golden. Remove the pastries to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Different brands of puff pastry will have different dimensions. Divide up your pastry dough in a way that seems logical. Squares or rectangles will work. You may need more ham and cheese if your sheet makes more portions.
Follow me on Pinterest for more awesome snacks and appetizers.
Leave a Reply