Makes About 65 Cheese Straws.
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted
- ¾ pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon medium ground black pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
Preparation:
In a large bowl, pour the butter over the cheese while the butter is still hot. Mix the cheese and butter with a mixer until blended. Add the cayenne, black pepper, if desired, and salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition until a soft dough forms.
Spoon the dough into a cookie press or gun fitted with a tip that will make strips. Or load a pastry bag with a star-burst tip. Press the dough out onto an ungreased cookie sheet to form 2-inch strips.
Bake the cheese straws for 20 minutes, watching carefully, until lightly browned or a dark golden color. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. These can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or they may be frozen for a month.
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The foregoing is excerpted from The Doughmakers Cookbook by Bette LaPlante and Diane Cuvelier. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission from HarperCollins Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022.
