Jambons (Irish Ham and Cheese Pastries)

Crunchy golden puff pastry parcels are filled with a creamy ham and cheese filling to create Jambons, a classic Irish favourite. Loved by all the family, they are a favourite for lunch or lunchboxes.

Jump to:

• What are jambons?
• Why we love this recipe
• Ingredients notes and substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• FAQ
• My recipe tips
• Budget
• Storage
• Variations
• Other puff pastry recipes you may enjoy
• Jambons (Irish Ham and Cheese Pastries)

What are jambons?

Puff pastry squares with ham and cheese, Jambons are an Irish delicacy. Although they sound French, and are similar to the French puff pastry baskets with ham and cheese, these are most definitely Irish, and a popular ‘food to go’. They are readily available in the freezer section of the supermarket where they can be cooked from frozen. I cam across Jambons whilst researching another recipe and thought they sounded like something my son would LOVE. As we can’t get them in Australia, I’d have to make my own. Plus, they have less ingredients than are stated on the packets of ready made frozen Jambons.

Why we love this recipe

• The combination of ham and cheese and puff pastry is a guaranteed crowd pleaser that is loved by kids – and adults too!
• The bechamel sauce makes these much less dry than using just ham and cheese, and is traditional in jambons. I have tested with and without and the effort of making the sauce is definitely worth it, if you want ham and cheese without the sauce, then ham and cheese pinwheels are a tasty alternative.
• These ham and cheese puff pastry parcels are a tasty lunchbox idea, delicious for picnics, and are great kid friendly lunch and side to soups too.

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Puff pastry – I use frozen puff pastry sheets as that is what is available in Australia, however you can use ready rolled sheets or Jus roll puff pastry blocks. Each pastry sheet is approx. 160g so you will need 320g puff pastry if you are using a block of puff pastry.
• Ham – shredded cooked ham or finely chopped slice ham. Leftover Christmas ham or gammon would be great in these too!
• Cheese – cheddar or tasty cheese, grated. Or Emmental cheese is delicious if you have some.
• Flour – plain flour.
• Butter – unsalted butter, as the ham and cheese are both pretty salty.
• Milk – I use full fat cows milk but you can use skimmed / half fat milk to make the sauce.
• Egg – to seal the pastries and make them lovely and shiny and golden.

How to make this recipe

Note: for full detailed recipe please scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post.

1. Make the sauce: Add the butter to a small saucepan then add the flour and whisk over a medium heat.
2. Gradually add the milk, whisking in between.
3. Once all the milk has been added, cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated cheese then leave to cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan/ 356˚F convection and line a baking tray with baking paper.
6. Cut the puff pastry in to squares.
7. Stir finely chopped ham into the cold cheese sauce.
8. Place a teaspoonful of the ham and cheese sauce in to the middle of each pastry square.
9. Brush all four edges with beaten egg or a little milk.
10. Bring up opposite corners and pinch in the middle to seal.
11. Repeat will all the pastry.
12. Place the parcels on the prepared baking trays then place in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• Make sure the cheese sauce is cold before you place in the pastry squares. If it is warm it will begin to melt the pastry and you can end up with a soggy mess that is hard to work with.
• Preheat the oven before you place the ham parcels in to bake – a hot oven gives crispier pastry and helps prevent the filling leaking…
• Talking of which…the filling can leak a little, which is fine for a family gathering – the edges get crispy and golden and delicious. If you want them to be neat then you can simply cut off the any of the leaked sauce with a sharp knife to make neater parcels.

Budget

Storage

Store cooled parcels in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can freeze the jambons, baked or unbaked (unless your puff pastry was frozen when you bought it, in which case I recommend you bake them before you freeze them.)

Variations

• Gluten free: Use gluten free puff pastry and gluten free flour to make the white sauce.
• Without white sauce: whilst the white sauce / béchamel sauce is a characteristic part of Irish Jambons, if you don’t want to make it then you can add a spoonful of cream cheese to the centre of each puff pastry square and sprinkle the grated cheese and shredded ham on top, then seal and cook as per the recipe.
• Flavourings – ½ teaspoon of dijon or wholegrain mustard is delicious in the sauce, as is a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Other puff pastry recipes you may enjoy