Ultimate Cheese Twists
Spicy cheese twists with Grana Padano, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
self-raising/cake flour
200 g
cayenne pepper
a pinch
paprika
a pinch
chilled butter (diced)
125 g
grated Grana Padano cheese
125 g
eggs (separate one yolk and white)
2
Dijon mustard
1 tsp
poppy seeds
20 g
Instructions
1
Preheat
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4.
2
Make breadcrumbs
Sieve the flour into a large bowl, dice the butter and add to the flour along with the cayenne pepper and paprika. Work the mixture with your fingers by pinching the butter cubes and rubbing them between your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. It should take about 5 minutes.
3
Combine mixture
Add the cheese and stir until everything is well combined. Separate the yolk and the white of one of the eggs. Put the bowl with the egg white aside and add the yolk, plus the entire second egg, to the flour and cheese mixture.
4
Form dough
Add the mustard to this and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture sticks together. Push the mixture together with your hands, so it resembles a dough.
5
Knead and chill
Sprinkle a clean, dry surface with flour. Tip the dough onto this and then knead lightly for 30 seconds. Cover (not wrap) the dough in plastic wrap and leave in a cool place for 30 minutes.
6
Shape twists
Cut the dough into 24 equal portions. Roll each of the 24 pieces into 8cm/3" long strips. Get two of the strips, pinch the top of each together, and then twist them. When they are twisted, pinch the two remaining ends together and place on a baking tray lined with foil. Repeat until you have 12 twists.
7
Bake
Whisk the egg white that was put aside earlier and then brush a small amount all over each twist. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over the twists (they should stick). Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
