cookbook club

These ham-and-cheese bites are the perfect cocktail party appetizer, but you can also cut it into larger portions and serve with a simple side salad for a satisfying yet light meal.

Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

puff pastry,

All-purpose flour (for surface)

Dijon mustard,

Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

heavy cream

This recipe is one of our favorites from Martha Stewart’s Entertaining, our December 2018 Cookbook Club pick. These are the perfect cocktail party appetizer, but you can also cut it into larger portions and serve with a simple side salad for a satisfying yet light meal.

Bon Appétit

Roll out 1 package of puff pastry on a floured surface to a 16x12" rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill while you roll out remaining sheet of pastry. Transfer to another parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill both sheets of pastry until cold, about 15 minutes.

Transfer parchment with pastry to a clean surface. Spread ¼ cup mustard evenly over 1 sheet of pastry, leaving a ½" border around the edges. Layer ham, then cheese over mustard. Fold border of pastry up over edge of filling. Brush edges lightly with water. Arrange remaining sheet of pastry on top, then trim edges with kitchen shears or a sharp knife so top layer fits over bottom with no overhang. Crimp edges with a fork. Using parchment, slide pastry back onto baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly beat egg and cream in a small bowl to blend. Brush egg wash evenly over puff pastry. Cut thin slits in a decorative pattern into top of pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake feuilleté, rotating pan halfway through, until puffed and deep golden brown, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into 1½" squares. Serve warm with additional mustard alongside.

Do Ahead: Feuilleté can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled.

This classic dish features chicken breasts stuffed with thin slices of ham and cheese that are then coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried. To avoid tearing the meat, pound it with a glancing (diagonal) motion rather than straight down, working from the center of the breast to the edge. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

chicken breasts (about 1½ lb. total)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Gruyère

dry breadcrumbs

parsley (from about ¼ bunch)

all-purpose flour

Tbsp. neutral oil (such as grapeseed

This classic dish features chicken breasts stuffed with thin slices of ham and cheese that are then coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried. To avoid tearing the meat, pound it with a glancing (diagonal) motion rather than straight down, working from the center of the breast to the edge. This recipe is from the latest edition of Joy of Cooking, our February 2020 Cookbook Club pick.
Adapted and excerpted from Joy of Cooking by John Becker and Megan Scott. Copyright ©️ 2019. Reprinted by permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Trim any fat around edges of chicken. Working one at a time, place chicken between sheets of parchment paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about ¼" thick. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper.

Arrange chicken smooth side down on a work surface. Cover one half of each breast with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese, leaving space around the edges. Fold breast in half over ham and cheese and press edges together to firmly seal.

Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk egg and 1 Tbsp. water in another shallow bowl. Spread flour on a plate.

Press both sides of chicken in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip both sides into egg mixture. Coat all over with breadcrumb mixture, patting with your fingers to adhere. Transfer to a plate.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Bake chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°, about 5 minutes.

You'll only need a handful of ingredients for this speedy noodle dish from Anna Jones' cookbook Easy Wins. Dinner for two, done! 

Sesame and chilli oil noodles

egg noodles

peanut butter

tahini

soy sauce

sesame oil

chilli oil

spring onions (about 6), trimmed and finely sliced

sesame seeds

Flaky, buttery and peppered with tangy pickles, Nicola Lamb's savoury cheese scones are out-of-this-world delicious.

Flaky cheese & pickle scones 

plain flour

dark rye flour

baking powder (about 2½ tsp)

flaky sea salt (about 1⅛ tsp)

black pepper (about 1 tsp)

mature Cheddar cheese, grated

butter, very cold

pickled gherkins,

buttermilk (see Top Tip)

Egg wash

EQUIPMENT

6.5cm cutter

From Nagi Maehashi's flavour-packed debut cookbook RecipeTin Eats: Dinner, this super-quick noodle recipe makes a cracking midweek meal. Dinner, done! 

Spicy Sichuan pork noodles

MY SECRET SPICY ASIAN SAUCE

1½ tbsp oyster sauce

1½ tbsp kecap manis*

tsp sambal oelek*

NOODLES

fresh Shanghai or hokkien noodles

vegetable oil

garlic clove*, finely minced

tsp finely minced ginger* (optional)

pork mince

Dominique's combination of tamarind with honey, garlic and sesame oil, on juicy chicken thighs, borders on the addictive.

Tamarind, honey & sesame chicken

tamarind paste

honey

fish sauce

sesame oil,

garlic,

salt

spring onions,

chicken thighs, skin on, bone in, fat trimmed

To serve

spring onion, finely sliced

Delicious served with

rice

This playful take on the classic delivers big flavor and great texture.

Dorie Greenspan’s Banana Cappuccino Cake

espresso powder

water

(170 grams) all-purpose flour

(68 grams) whole wheat flour

cinnamon

baking soda

fine sea salt

nutmeg

(79 grams) coconut oil,

(150 grams) sugar

egg,

vanilla extract

(90 grams) toasted shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened

(113 grams) cream cheese,

(4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter,

(240 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted if very lumpy

The Kitchn

Kristina Razon

Step 1

To make the cake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with baker’s spray. Or, if you prefer, butter and flour the pan (tap out the excess flour), or use coconut oil to grease it, but heads up— the oil can leave spots of residue on the cake.

Step 2

Put the espresso powder in a small bowl, pour over the hot water and stir until the powder dissolves; set aside.

Step 3

Whisk the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, the cinnamon (and cardamom, if you’re using it), baking soda, salt and nutmeg together.

Step 4

Working in a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they’re smooth; you’ll have 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups. Pour in the melted coconut oil and, using a mixing spoon or a flexible spatula, stir to blend. One by one, stir in the sugar, beaten egg, espresso mixture and vanilla. Stir with intention, so that everything is fully incorporated.

Step 5

Spoon half the dry ingredients over the batter and, using a motion that’s somewhere between stirring and folding, gently blend it in. Do the same with the remaining flour mixture. Finish by stirring in the toasted coconut. The batter will be lumpy, bumpy and very fragrant. Pour it into the pan and use the spatula to smooth the top.

Step 6

Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the cake has risen and turned a gorgeous shade of deep brown— it should feel springy to the touch and pull away from the sides of the pan when you tug it lightly; a tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 5 minutes, then run a table knife around the edges of the cake and unmold it onto the rack. Turn the cake over onto another rack and let it cool completely before serving or frosting.

Step 7

To make the (optional) frosting: Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat all of the ingredients except the confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed. Add the sugar and pulse the mixer on and off to start incorporating it— you might want to drape the bowl with a kitchen towel to keep the sugar from flying about. When the risk of a sugar shower has passed, beat the frosting on medium until it’s smooth and velvety.

Step 8

To frost the cake: You’ve got plenty of frosting, so swoop away. My preference is to frost the top and leave the sides bare, but the cake’s yours to play with, of course. If you want to dust the top with toasted coconut, do it now while the frosting is fresh and the shreds will stick.

Step 9

The cake is ready to be served as soon as it’s frosted, but it can wait.

Storage: Covered, the cake will keep at room temperature for about 3 days. If you’ve frosted it, it’s best to keep it in the fridge. If it’s been in the fridge, it’s good to let it come to close to room temperature before serving. Not that it’s not good chilled— it’s really fine. Wrapped airtight, the cake — frosted or plain — can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight (ideal) or on the counter.Banana Cappuccino Cake recipe from DORIE’S ANYTIME CAKES by Dorie Greenspan. Used with permission by Harvest, and imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

Recipe Notes

Dorie Greenspan’s Caramel-Nut Chocolate Upside Down Cake

(100 grams) brown sugar

(11/2 ounces; 42 grams) unsalted butter

(60 milliliters) heavy cream

(6 ounces; 170 grams) pecans

(6 ounces; 170 grams) unsalted butter,

(170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

baking powder

(102 grams) all-purpose flour

(134 grams) sugar

eggs,

Lauren Miyashiro

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Coat the inside of an 8-x-8-inch baking pan, one with at least 2-inch- high sides, with baker’s spray (it’s better than butter and flour for this cake) and then line the bottom and sides of the pan with two pieces of parchment, crisscrossing them so that all four sides are covered with paper; spray the parchment.

To make the nut layer: Put the sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, the butter melts and the mixture boils. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the cream, salt and cinnamon, bring back to a boil and cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Add the nuts and stir until they are coated with the caramel.

Turn the mixture out into the baking pan and use a flexible spatula to spread it into the corners and to even the layer. Set aside.

To make the cake: Put the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and set it over very low heat. You want to melt the butter and chocolate slowly so that they blend beautifully and don’t get so hot that they separate. (If your stovetop doesn’t have a very low setting, melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water—the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water—or do this in a microwave.)

Whisk the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.

Put the sugar in a large bowl, drop in the eggs and immediately start whisking, then continue to whisk energetically for a couple of minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate-butter—it might still be a little warm, and that’s fine—and whisk to incorporate completely. Add the dry ingredients and, continuing with the whisk or trading it for a flexible spatula, mix them in until there’s no trace of flour. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 34 to 37 minutes, or until the top looks dry, the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and, most important, a tester poked into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Transfer the pan to a rack and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Very carefully—the caramel will be super hot—turn the cake out onto another rack and peel away the parchment. If a few nuts and some caramel have stuck to the paper, use a table knife to scrape them off and onto the cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature. It’s tempting to eat the cake when it’s only just warm—and I wouldn’t stop you—but the texture of both the nuts and the cake is better after a few hours. In fact, I think this cake really comes into its own the next day.

Storage: You can’t freeze this cake, but it keeps surprisingly well at room temperature. Wrap it well, and it will be good for about 4 days.Caramel-Nut Chocolate Upside Down Cake recipe from DORIE’S ANYTIME CAKES by Dorie Greenspan. Used with permission by Harvest, and imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Top Tags

Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Sesame and chilli oil noodles

Flaky cheese & pickle scones

Spicy Sichuan pork noodles

Tamarind, honey & sesame chicken

Dorie Greenspan’s Banana Cappuccino...

Dorie Greenspan’s Caramel-Nut Choco...

Top 8 cookbook club recipes from across the web

The most viewed cookbook club recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Sesame and chilli oil noodles

Flaky cheese & pickle scones

Spicy Sichuan pork noodles

Tamarind, honey & sesame chicken

Dorie Greenspan’s Banana Cappuccino...

Dorie Greenspan’s Caramel-Nut Choco...

The most viewed cookbook club recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine