Pain Surprise (Stuffed French Party Bread)

• 800 g White bread, round loaf
• 120 g Unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g Cream cheese
• 15 g Fresh chives
• 20 g Dijon mustard
• 1 medium Lemon
• ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
• 200 g Cured ham, thinly sliced
• 200 g Smoked salmon, thinly sliced
• 180 g Gruyère cheese

1. Using a bread knife, cut a lid from the top of the loaf, keeping it intact. Hollow out the centre, leaving a sturdy shell about 2 cm thick all around and at the base. Trim the removed bread into neat, thin slices to use for lining and layering.
2. In a bowl, beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth. Finely snip the fresh chives, then mix them in with the Dijon mustard, a little lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice, and the black pepper. Taste and adjust with a touch more lemon juice if you want it brighter.
3. Slice the Gruyère cheese thinly. If the ham or smoked salmon slices are large, fold them into tidy layers so they sit flat. Keep everything ready so you can build the loaf quickly and evenly.
4. Spread a thin layer of the herb mixture over the inside of the bread shell, including the underside of the lid. Line the base and sides with a layer of the trimmed bread slices, pressing gently so there are no gaps. Spread a little more herb mixture over the lining bread.
5. Build the fillings in layers: add a layer of cured ham, then a layer of Gruyère cheese, then a layer of bread, spreading each bread layer with a thin coat of the herb mixture. Repeat with a layer of smoked salmon, then bread and herb mixture, continuing until the loaf is filled snugly. Finish with a final bread layer spread with the remaining herb mixture, then replace the lid.
6. Press the loaf gently to compact the layers, then wrap it tightly and chill so it firms up and slices cleanly. Chill for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for the neatest wedges. Keep it cold until serving.
7. Unwrap and slice the loaf into wedges with a serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges. Serve cold on a board for sharing. If it has been chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing to prevent cracking.

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