Cheese-Ums!
Cheese twists make such a great table snack. They are easy to make, taste good, and make the house smell uh-mazing! This recipe is inspired by Clair Saffitz when she was a senior food editor at Bon Appetite (recipe)
Puff Pastry Magic!
Puff pastry (aka pâte feuilletée) should be everyone’s kitchen freezer staple. I try not to keep boxed items/foods in the kitchen but puff pastry makes it too easy. It is versatile, and come in hand for many dishes. It is flaky, light, and buttery, like it’s cousin Greek phyllo (filo) dough.
Puff Pastry History
“First known recipe modern puff pastry (using butter or lard) appears in the Spanish recipe book Libro del arte de cozina (Book of the art of cooking) written by Domingo Hernandez de Maceras, published 1607)” – Wikipedia
Kitchen Tip:
- keep the strips thin because baking it will crispier and better results
Kitchen Equipment
Cheese Twists
These cheese twists make a great snack for any table.
- Mixing Bowls
- pastry brush
- chef's knife
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
- cutitng board
- box grater
- measuring spoons
- 4 oz parmesan
- 2 oz cheddar (hard, aged)
- all-purpose flour (for dusting)
- 1 14 oz package frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- 1-2 egg yolk (large)
- pinch paprika
- pinch cayenne peper (optional)
- black pepper
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Grate the cheese on the medium holes of a box grater.
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Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange racks in the oven in upper and lower thirds. Preheat to 400 F /204 C
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Dust the work surface lightly with flour and unfold or unroll puff pastry on surface
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Using a rolling pin, roll out lightly to smooth creases
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Mix egg yolk(s) and 1 tsp water with the pastry brush in a small bowl. Lightly brush egg wash across surface of 1 piece of pastry
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Sprinkle half of the grated cheese all over the egg-washed pastry in an even layer
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Using your fingertips and holding your hand at least 8" above the surfacesprinkle the parpika cayenne over cheese
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Seasonwith black pepper and salt (optional)
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Place second sheet of puff pastry over top, aligning edges, and press gently to flatten.
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Lightly brush surface of second sheet with more egg wash
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Sprinkle remaining cheese and spices; season with salt (optional) and pepper
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Flour a rolling pin and gently roll over top of pastry/cheese. NOTE: If bottom layer of pastry starts to stick, dust underneath with more flour. This applies to the rolling pin as well
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Roll out to a long rectangle about 0.25" thick
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Usinga knife, cut strips/rectangles into 0.5" thick. I also cut the sheets inhalf length-wise so it can fit on my baking sheet, but you may not need to do so
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With one strip at a time, transfer to the prepared baking sheets and twists 2 endsin opposite directions until desired look. Keep straws 1" apart on baking sheet
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Bake cheese straws about 12 – 18 minutes, rotating pans once top to bottom and front to back, until golden brown and cheese is toasted and crisp
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Let cool completely on sheets. Carefully remove from parchment and serve
