Countdown to Christmas Part Four - Cheese Straws
The party season for us wouldn't be complete without a big batch of cheese straws in the freezer, delicious on a buffet, great as a snack, quick and easy to get out of the freezer with some mince pies to quickly warm in the oven and serve to sudden, surprise visitors.
They really are easy to make, everybody loves them, soft and cheesy inside, crunchy on the outside. I like to make them as they are, but I'm sure you could add all sorts of additional flavourings like caraway or poppy seeds, some fresh herbs like thyme, some wholegrain mustard, some very finely sliced, lightly fried onion or even some crispy fried bacon bits. They make a great home bake for the inexperienced, brilliant to make with children's help.
I use a recipe from the Be-Ro Book, everyone's mum used to have one, I'm sure you sent off for it with the tops off flour bags, I think I bought mine at a car boot sale, but I believe you can buy them in shops now. Full of basic/classic recipes for baking cakes and pastry, no kitchen should be without one!
Cheese Straws
100g self raising flour
A pinch of salt
A pinch of Coleman's mustard powder
50g margarine
75g mature Cheddar or Red Leicester, grated
1 medium egg, beaten plus extra if needed
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4 and grease a baking tray.
Mix together the dry ingredients, then rub in the margarine.
Stir in the cheese and enough egg to make the mix into a dough.
Roll out to your preferred thickness, the recipe says thin, but I like mine a little thicker. Not too thick though or they wont be cooked all the way through.
Cut into strips, place on the baking sheet, carefully brush just the tops with beaten egg. (If it runs onto the tray they will stick).
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Serve warm, or allow to cool and freeze until you are ready to serve, heat gently in the oven before serving.
The problem here is getting them to the freezer with out eating them all, we never manage it.
The recipe says it will make 50. I made double the mix and got 64 and this is because I make them thicker and of course it depend how long you make them, however, between me and Lauren only 58 made it to the freezer!
They really are easy to make, everybody loves them, soft and cheesy inside, crunchy on the outside. I like to make them as they are, but I'm sure you could add all sorts of additional flavourings like caraway or poppy seeds, some fresh herbs like thyme, some wholegrain mustard, some very finely sliced, lightly fried onion or even some crispy fried bacon bits. They make a great home bake for the inexperienced, brilliant to make with children's help.
I use a recipe from the Be-Ro Book, everyone's mum used to have one, I'm sure you sent off for it with the tops off flour bags, I think I bought mine at a car boot sale, but I believe you can buy them in shops now. Full of basic/classic recipes for baking cakes and pastry, no kitchen should be without one!
Cheese Straws
100g self raising flour
A pinch of salt
A pinch of Coleman's mustard powder
50g margarine
75g mature Cheddar or Red Leicester, grated
1 medium egg, beaten plus extra if needed
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4 and grease a baking tray.
Mix together the dry ingredients, then rub in the margarine.
Stir in the cheese and enough egg to make the mix into a dough.
Roll out to your preferred thickness, the recipe says thin, but I like mine a little thicker. Not too thick though or they wont be cooked all the way through.
Cut into strips, place on the baking sheet, carefully brush just the tops with beaten egg. (If it runs onto the tray they will stick).
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Serve warm, or allow to cool and freeze until you are ready to serve, heat gently in the oven before serving.
The problem here is getting them to the freezer with out eating them all, we never manage it.
The recipe says it will make 50. I made double the mix and got 64 and this is because I make them thicker and of course it depend how long you make them, however, between me and Lauren only 58 made it to the freezer!
If the long one made it to the freezer save it for me.TOM
ReplyDeleteMy oldest Bero Book is over 50. I sent for it when we had our first house in Hemel. It has a recipe for mock cream!I still refer to it for milk choc cake, not sure if it is my other 2 but it might be. This book. is printed in white and brown and I have lost the cover.I learnt to bake with it before going on to more complications.x
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