Bushra Griffith
Ham and cheese croissants are a delicious, indulgent treat that can be easily made at home. With a few simple ingredients, you can create a gourmet, bakery-quality snack that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a kid-friendly meal. This recipe uses store-bought puff pastry, which can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores, and is filled with delicious ham, cheese, and Dijon mustard. The croissants are then baked in the oven until golden and flaky. So, if you're looking for a quick and easy recipe that's sure to impress, read on to find out how to make these mouth-watering ham and cheese croissants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven temperature | 350-400°F |
| Pastry | Puff pastry |
| Pastry type | All-butter, store-bought |
| Cheese | Swiss, white cheddar, gruyère, pepper jack, gouda, or cheddar |
| Ham | Thinly sliced, Black Forest, or honey-baked |
| Other ingredients | Dijon mustard, egg wash, sesame seeds, honey mustard, whole-grain mustard, herbes de Provence |
| Baking time | 15-20 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right puff pastry
Ham and cheese croissants are typically made with puff pastry. While you can make your own, store-bought puff pastry is a terrific shortcut, as everything can be put together in no time.
When choosing the right puff pastry for your croissants, you'll want to consider the ingredients and the process used to make it. The ingredients in puff pastry typically include flour, sugar, salt, cold water, and butter. The butter is folded into the dough several times to create layers, a process called lamination. This results in a drier dough that rises high when baked due to the steam entering the layers.
One important decision to make when choosing puff pastry is whether to go for regular puff pastry or yeasted puff pastry. Yeasted puff pastry uses a yeast-raised dough, which gives the pastry a gummy texture and allows it to double in size. This type of pastry is used for croissants, Danish pastries, and kouign-amann, among others. It has a similar level of flakiness to Napoleons and palmiers but with a slightly chewy texture.
For the best quality and flavour, opt for all-butter puff pastry instead of puff pastry made with hydrogenated oils. All-butter puff pastry has a better texture and mouthfeel, with a deliciously buttery flavour. It is readily available in most markets in the frozen section.
When preparing your ham and cheese croissants, remember to keep the puff pastry chilled until you are ready to work with it. This will make it easier to handle and help prevent shrinkage. You can also roll out the pastry just a touch to get it to the desired size before cutting it into strips or triangles for filling and shaping.
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Preparing the ingredients
To make ham and cheese croissants, you'll need a few simple ingredients: puff pastry, ham, cheese, mustard, and eggs. You can also add some herbs for extra flavour.
Start by gathering your ingredients. For the puff pastry, you can use store-bought all-butter puff pastry, which is readily available in most supermarkets. Look for it in the frozen section and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, or leave it at room temperature for an hour before chilling it in the fridge for 2-4 hours until it's thawed but still cold.
For the ham, choose a good quality, thinly sliced variety. Black Forest ham is a popular choice, but you can use any type of ham you prefer. If you're making these croissants for kids, honey-baked ham is a sweeter option that they might enjoy.
When it comes to cheese, Swiss cheese is a classic pairing with ham, but you can also use cheddar, gruyere, or any other cheese that melts well. Shred or grate the cheese to ensure it melts evenly and creates a gooey texture inside your croissants.
Dijon mustard adds a nice kick to your croissants, but you can also use whole-grain or honey mustard for a milder flavour. If you're making these croissants for brunch, you might want to prepare some mixed green salad on the side.
Finally, you'll need eggs for the egg wash, which will give your croissants a golden, buttery finish. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before baking for added texture and flavour.
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Assembling the croissants
To assemble the croissants, first, unfold the puff pastry sheets and brush them lightly with egg wash. Next, place dollops of mustard onto the pastry sheets, leaving a border. Sprinkle each dollop of mustard with your chosen grated cheese—this could be Swiss, Gruyère, cheddar, or pepper jack. Fold the ham slices in half, or as needed, to fit inside the edges of the pastry. Place the ham on top of the mustard and cheese.
Then, grab the second sheet of puff pastry and gently unfold it, pressing any tears along the seams back together with your fingers. Drape this second sheet over the ham, cheese, and mustard, ensuring it is flush with the bottom piece of pastry. Starting from the centre of the pastry, gently press around the filling, removing as much air as possible and sealing each square.
Before baking, brush the croissants all over with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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Baking instructions
To cook frozen ham and cheese croissants, you will first need to thaw your frozen puff pastry. For the best results, it is recommended to thaw the pastry overnight in the refrigerator. If you don't have that much time, you can leave it at room temperature for an hour and then place it in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours until it is thawed but still chilled.
Once your puff pastry is thawed, unfold it on a lightly floured board or counter. Then, brush the pastry with egg wash and mustard, leaving a 1-inch border along one of the short edges. Sprinkle each dollop of mustard with your chosen cheese. Fold your ham slices in half, or cut them in half if they are large, and place them on top of the cheese and mustard.
Next, unfold your second piece of puff pastry and drape it over the ham, cheese, and mustard, pressing around the filling to seal each square. Starting at the bottom of each strip, create a 3-inch fold and brush the exposed edge with egg wash before folding again and pressing to seal.
Before baking, brush the croissants all over with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or herbs. Preheat your oven to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake the croissants for around 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and crispy.
If you are reheating premade croissants, simply pop them in the oven for about five minutes or in the microwave for 20 seconds.
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Reheating and storage
To reheat frozen ham and cheese croissants, pop them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes or in the microwave for around 20 seconds. This will give you a warm and flaky croissant.
If you are preparing the croissants from scratch, you will need to thaw the frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight. If you don't have that much time, you can leave it at room temperature for an hour and then place it in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours until it is thawed but still chilled.
Once the pastry is ready, unfold it and brush it with egg wash. Then, add the mustard, ham, and cheese. Drape another sheet of puff pastry over the filling and press around it to seal each square. Brush the croissants with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking.
Leftover croissants can be wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
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Frequently asked questions
Preheat your oven to 350-400°F. Brush the croissants with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds before placing them in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
You will need puff pastry, ham, cheese, and mustard. For the pastry, it is recommended to use all-butter puff pastry for the best quality and flavor. Any cheese of your choice will work, but popular options include Swiss, Gruyère, white cheddar, or pepper jack. As for the ham, Black Forest ham is a good option.
If you have time, allow the croissants to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you are short on time, leave them at room temperature for an hour and then place them in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours until they are thawed but still chilled.
