Description
Fresh ham and cheese puff pastry stacks bring pure comfort to your table, layering flaky pastry with salty ham and melted cheese for a quick, crowd-pleasing treat that practically makes itself.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry
- 8 oz Black Forest Ham
- 8 oz Gruyère Cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 large Egg
Preparation Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Flour
Instructions
- Warm your oven to exactly 400°F and position a rack in the center to ensure even heating.
- Dust your clean countertop with 2 tbsp flour to prevent the delicate pastry from sticking during rolling.
- Gently unfold the all-butter puff pastry and roll it out until it reaches a slim ⅛-inch thickness using smooth, even motions.
- Spread 2 tbsp Dijon mustard across half the pastry sheet, leaving a precise 1-inch border around the edges for sealing.
- Carefully arrange 8 oz of thinly sliced Black Forest ham in an even layer over the mustard-covered section.
- Sprinkle 8 oz of freshly shredded Gruyère cheese uniformly across the ham, ensuring complete coverage.
- Delicately drape the second pastry sheet over the ham and cheese, pressing your fingertips along the edges to create a tight seal.
- Whisk 1 large egg until frothy and brush the entire pastry surface for a beautiful golden finish.
- Use a sharp knife to slice 3-4 small steam vents across the top, allowing moisture to escape during baking.
- Chill the assembled pastry in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to help it maintain its structural integrity.
- Transfer the chilled pastry to a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for exactly 22 minutes until the surface turns a rich, golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the pastry rest for 10 minutes before slicing into elegant portions.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley for a vibrant touch of color and herbal brightness.
Notes
- Cold pastry helps the puff pastry rise beautifully and creates flaky, crisp layers.
- Always use high-quality Gruyère for the most rich, nutty cheese flavor in your ham stack.
- Chilling the assembled pastry before baking prevents the layers from merging and ensures a dramatic puff.
- Letting the stack rest briefly after baking allows the cheese to set and makes cutting cleaner and easier.
- Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Ham
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg