Prosciutto Dijon Cheddar Puffs

I'll admit it. I might have a slight obsession with Joy The Baker.  I love her photos and her blog posts and her live-life-to-the-fullest-while-stuffing-your-face attitude.  And yeah, I kinda love her recipes too.

I was invited to a dinner party and we were all asked to bring appetizers to share.  As I browsed through my rather extensive list of appetizers, I kept in mind that I wanted to make something that was simple, portable, and (obviously) tasty.  Enter Joy's Prosciutto Dijon Gruyere Puffs recipe.  Perfect.

I firmly believe that packaged puffed pastry should be a god among desserts.  For me, it's up there with Nutella, chocolate, anything that may be laced with alcohol, and, more recently, Spekuloos spread.  There's nothing wrong with layers of pastry and butter that are puffed up in the oven to form a crispy, flaky shell. Add to that the tang of a thin layer of Dijon mustard, creamy melted cheddar cheese (I didn't have Gruyere so I made a quick substitute), layers of salty prosciutto, and a final dash of spicy black pepper.

These appetizers went over well at the party later that night.  And it took me approximately no time at all to make them.  Win.

Prosciutto Dijon Cheddar Puffs

slightly adapted from Joy the Baker's recipe

Print Recipe

• 1 package puff pastry
• ~ 8 slices prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar, grated
• flour for dusting
• fresh ground black pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Thaw puff pastry in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours (or just leave out on the counter for 30 minutes).

3) Once thawed, carefully unfold and lay on a floured work surface. If the pastry tears at the seam in the unfolding process, gently press it back together.

 4) Dust a little bit of flour on top of the pastry as well.

5) Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 11×9-inches.

6) Layer the prosciutto on top of the puff pastry.

 

7) Using a butter knife, layer the mustard on top of the prosciutto slices.

 

8) Top with grated cheese and as much fresh ground black pepper as desired.

9) Roll the right side of the pastry in towards the center.  Then roll the left side of the pastry in towards the center.  Press together.  (Joy's note: Dough will not stick together, but if you brush away some of the excess flour on the center dough pieces, they will stay together better during baking.)

10) Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 1/2-inch thick slices.  

11) Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until the puffs are a deep golden brown.

12) Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from baking sheet and serve warm or at room temperature.