Ham and cheese puff pastry rolls

Unroll the puff pastry and cut strips the width of the baking tube; not too long or the pastry falls off the side.

Roll the pastry around the tube; seal the inside edge with egg wash and press the seam firmly with a finger so it does not unroll in the oven.

Brush the outside with egg wash and decorate with a fork, for example little crosses.

Preheat the oven to 396F / 200C. Keep the remaining pastry in the fridge.

Give a final brush of egg wash and bake about 15 to 20 minutes, three quarters of the way cooked, so they can be filled and warmed later.

Melt the butter completely on very low heat, add all the flour, mix and cook 1 to 2 minutes maximum; turn the heat off and leave the roux to cool completely.

If the shop pastry puffs too much and the tubes lose their shape or fail to seal, prick it with a fork and roll a thicker layer around the tube, then bake again.

Warm the milk in a small pan on medium heat with half a red onion studded with cloves, two bay leaves, a little salt, black pepper, mushrooms and a hint of cayenne; bring to a simmer and infuse 10 to 15 minutes.

Strain the warm milk over the cold roux, keeping none of the bits.

On medium heat whisk the roux into the milk until it thickens into a thick bechamel; cook a few minutes with a few bubbles, then turn the heat off.

Melt in the cheese a handful at a time; rewarm if needed until smooth, then turn the heat off and gently mix in the cubed ham.

Cool the bechamel a little and put it in a piping bag.

Pipe the bechamel into each roll from one end, turn it round and fill from the other end until full, then press grated cheese into both ends.

Before serving, warm the rolls about 10 minutes at about 180C, maybe a bit less, until the cheese melts.