Ham and Cheese Palmiers

Puff pastry is sold frozen and often comes in a 17-ounce package with two separately wrapped sheets in each. One puff pastry sheet will make 24 miniature palmiers.

Makes 24 (2 1⁄2-inch) palmiers 1 tablespoon flour (for dusting work area)

1 sheet (12 by 8 inches) piece puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard

8 ounces thinly sliced smoked ham

5 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Lightly flour a work surface. Unfold one sheet of thawed puff pastry. Roll over pastry lightly with a rolling pin to smooth out the creases. Cut pastry in half lengthwise. You will have two pieces that are 4 by 12 inches.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using an offset spatula, spread 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard on one piece of pastry. Lay half of the ham evenly over pastry. Sprinkle half the Swiss cheese evenly over ham.

Take the two long edges of the pastry and fold them toward each other, meeting halfway to the center. Press down lightly on pastry. Take one of the long sides of pastry. Fold it so it meets the other side of pastry, like closing a book. From the side, the pastry should look like a U shape.

Repeat steps with remaining piece of pastry.

Slice each log into 12 pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet pan, cut side up. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

If not using immediately, filled pastry logs can be wrapped in plastic food wrap and refrigerated up to 4 days. Pastry logs also can be wrapped in foil and frozen up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw 15 minutes before slicing and baking.