These scrumptious seasonal treats are perfect for the school fete or a festive party.
Ingredients
- 40g butter, chilled and cut into little cubes, plus A little extra for greasing
- 80g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 60g mature Cheddar, grated, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with a little butter. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese and mix together.
- 2. Add half the beaten egg and stir into the flour until the mixture starts to come together, then use your hands to work it into a ball.
- 3. Dust a work surface with a little flour and roll out half the pastry into a rectangle, about 3mm thick, using a rolling pin. Cut widthways into straws, about 5mm wide. Roll out the remaining pastry and use a 8cm star-shaped cutter to cut out 12 stars, re-rolling the pastry if necessary.
- 4. Carefully put the straws and stars on the baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Ask an adult to remove the trays from the oven. Cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets, then carefully pick them up with a palette knife and put them on a cooling rack. Eat warm or cool and store in an airtight container.
Chef's tip
Making cheese straws is a great way to learn about pastry. Make this recipe with other cheeses, such as Red Leicester, Cheshire or Parmesan.