Ham & Cheese Medialuna Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 3 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons instant yeast. In a small bowl stir warm milk and warm water (each 3 tablespoons) with 1 large egg and 4 tablespoons softened butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix on low until dough forms, then knead 4–6 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If too sticky, add up to 1 tablespoon flour; if too dry, add 1 teaspoon water.

First rise

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 60–75 minutes.

Prepare butter block

While dough is rising, prepare the butter block. Place 3 cold sticks of unsalted butter between two sheets of parchment and beat/roll them into a flat square about 7 x 7 inches and roughly 1/2 inch thick. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until firm, at least 15–20 minutes. Lightly dust with the 2 tablespoons flour if the butter is too sticky.

Roll and laminate

Once dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 12 x 8 inches. Place chilled butter block in the center of the dough and fold the dough over the butter like an envelope so butter is encased. Seal edges. Roll the enclosed dough into a long rectangle about 18 x 8 inches. Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter). Rotate 90 degrees, roll again to 18 x 8 inches and fold into thirds again. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Repeat the roll-and-fold sequence (two single turns more) for a total of three folds, chilling 20–30 minutes between if dough or butter gets too soft. This creates the flaky layers typical of a medialuna.

Final roll and cut

After the last chill, roll the dough into a rectangle about 20 x 10 inches and roughly 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Trim edges to make straight lines. Cut the rectangle into 12 equal triangles (cut lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip into 4 triangles).

Assemble medialunas

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On each triangle, place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese near the wide end, leaving a small margin at the edge. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle toward the point, forming a crescent/medialuna shape. Place shaped medialunas seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 1–2 inches apart. Repeat for all 12.

Egg wash

Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon whole milk to make an egg wash. Brush each medialuna lightly with the egg wash and optionally brush a bit of the 2 tablespoons melted butter on top for extra shine and flavor. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt on each if desired.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 14–18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the medialunas are deep golden brown and the layers are puffed. If the bottoms brown too quickly, lower the rack one position or cover the tray loosely with foil.

Finish and rest

Remove from oven and brush immediately with remaining melted butter if you reserved any. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for another 5 minutes before serving so the cheese sets slightly and the interior is not steaming hot.