The Perfect Ham And Cheese Jambons: Cooking Time And Tips

Ham and cheese jambons are a popular snack in Ireland. They are puff pastry pockets filled with ham and cheese and are typically enjoyed for breakfast. They can be made and frozen ahead of time and are great for kids' lunch boxes, parties, picnics, and using up leftover ham. To cook frozen jambons, bake them in a preheated oven at 400°F/200°C for 20–30 minutes, depending on their size.

How to cook frozen ham and cheese jambons in the oven

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen puff pastry
• 1 cup finely diced ham
• 2 cups shredded Dubliner cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water

Method

• Preheat your oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
• Remove the pastry sheets from the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge.
• Place the thawed pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll them out slightly larger than their original size.
• Cut the pastry sheets into even squares. You can cut them into 6 squares for larger pastries or 9 squares for smaller ones.
• Place a generous amount of cheese and a sprinkle of ham in the center of each square.
• Pull the corners of each square towards the center and pinch them together to seal. Don't worry if they open back up during cooking—this is supposed to happen!
• Whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the top of each sealed square.
• Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheets and put them in the oven.
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the pastries are puffed and golden brown.
• Enjoy your ham and cheese jambons!

Tips:

• You can use any type of cheese you like, but Irish cheese such as Kerrygold Dubliner is a great option for this recipe.
• Make sure to cut the ham into small cubes, about 1/4" thick.
• If you want to freeze the jambons, place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and put them in the freezer for about an hour. Then, transfer them to a resealable bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To cook frozen jambons, bake them at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, adding a few extra minutes if needed.

How to cook frozen ham and cheese jambons in an air fryer

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen puff pastry
• 1 cup finely diced ham
• 2 cups shredded cheese (Dubliner cheese is recommended)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water

Method

• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
• Prepare the air fryer basket by spraying it with a non-stick cooking spray such as olive oil or avocado oil. You can also use parchment paper or aluminium foil.
• Cut the puff pastry into 6-9 squares, depending on your desired size.
• Place a generous amount of cheese and a sprinkle of ham in the centre of each square.
• Pull the corners of each square up to the centre and pinch to close.
• Whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a small dish, then brush the egg wash over the top of each sealed square.
• Place the jambons in the air fryer basket in a single layer to ensure even cooking.
• Air fry at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Tips

• You can freeze the jambons before or after baking. To cook from frozen, place the pastries directly on a baking sheet and bake as directed, allowing a few extra minutes of cooking time.
• If you are cooking a lot of jambons and have a lot of drippings, you can add a piece of bread to the bottom of the basket to absorb the extra drippings.
• If you are reheating leftover jambons, place them on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 375°F for a few minutes, until heated through.

How to make the sauce for ham and cheese jambons

The sauce for ham and cheese jambons is a simple béchamel, or "white sauce". This traditional Irish condiment is made by first melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stirring in flour and whisking to combine. You then slowly add milk, a little at a time, whisking continuously until all the milk has been added. The sauce is cooked for a further 5 minutes until it thickens. Finally, you take the pan off the heat and stir in grated cheese, leaving the mixture to cool.

This béchamel sauce is then combined with diced ham and used as a filling for the jambons. The sauce can be flavoured with Dijon or wholegrain mustard, or a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Tips for Making the Sauce

• Use unsalted butter as the ham and cheese are both quite salty.
• Full-fat milk is recommended for the sauce, but skimmed or half-fat milk can also be used.
• The cheese sauce should be cold before it is placed in the pastry squares, otherwise, it may melt the pastry and cause a soggy mess.

How to assemble ham and cheese jambons

To assemble ham and cheese jambons, you will need the following ingredients:

• Puff pastry
• Cheese
• Ham

You can use any cheese you like, but Irish cheese is recommended for an authentic taste. For the ham, you can buy ham steaks or ask your local deli to cut you a couple of 1/4-inch-thick slices.

First, roll out your puff pastry a little larger than its given size. You will want to cut square shapes, so use a ruler to ensure you get even squares. Cut the pastry into 6 squares for larger jambons or 9 squares for smaller, bite-sized ones.

Next, place a generous amount of cheese and a sprinkle of ham in the center of each square. Take the corners of each square and pull them up to the center, pinching to close. Don't worry if they open back up during cooking—this is supposed to happen!

Finally, whisk an egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a small dish and brush this egg wash over the top of each sealed square.

Now your ham and cheese jambons are ready to be baked in the oven!

How to store and reheat ham and cheese jambons

Ham and cheese jambons are a popular snack in Ireland. They are savoury puff pastry pockets filled with ham and cheese and can be enjoyed warm or cold. They can be stored and reheated in a variety of ways.

Storing Ham and Cheese Jambons

If you want to store your jambons, they can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. To do this, flash-freeze them on a tray lined with parchment paper for about an hour, then transfer them to a resealable bag.

Reheating Ham and Cheese Jambons

To reheat your jambons, simply place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until they are heated through. You can also reheat them in an air fryer, which will take about 10 minutes.

Cooking Ham and Cheese Jambons

If you are cooking your jambons from frozen, preheat your oven to 400°F and bake them for 20-30 minutes. The time may vary depending on the size of your jambons.

Frequently asked questions