Cheese biscuit skulls with tomato dipping sauce

Cheese biscuit skulls with tomato dipping sauce
  • Serves icon Makes 12
  • Time icon Hands-on time 45 min, oven time 12 min plus chilling and freezing

Create a bit of excitement at your next party with these Halloween-inspired cheesy morsels. Horrifyingly moreish – they’ll vanish fast. Or for something sweet, see these spooky halloween chocolate cookies.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
252kcals
Fat
17.1g (9.7g saturated)
Protein
7.2g
Carbohydrates
16.6g (4.3g sugars)
Fibre
1.3g
Salt
0.5g
Calories
252kcals
Fat
17.1g (9.7g saturated)
Protein
7.2g
Carbohydrates
16.6g (4.3g sugars)
Fibre
1.3g
Salt
0.5g

Ingredients

  • 185g plain flour plus extra for rolling out
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • Small pinch cayenne pepper
  • 150g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • 80g cheddar, finely grated
  • 80g parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
  • 20 black pitted olives, cut into thin slivers

For the tomato dipping sauce

  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tsp sugar

 You’ll also need…

  • 8cm skull-shaped cookie cutter

Method

  1. First make the tomato sauce. Heat a glug of oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for about 7-8 min until soft, then add the garlic for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes with the sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for about 45 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
  2. Put the flour, salt and cayenne into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cheeses and 1 tbsp cold water and pulse until it just comes together in a ball. Flatten the balls lightly, then wrap in cling film and chill for an hour.
  3. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 1cm thickness. Use the cookie cutter to cut out 12 skull shapes and place them on the baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.
  4. Lightly brush each biscuit with the beaten egg and place the olive slices onto each cookie in two crosses for eyes. To make the mouth, lay one piece horizontally, then lay three on top vertically for teeth. Bake in the oven for 11-12 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before removing to cooling racks. Gently warm the sauce in a small saucepan.
  5. Put the sauce into a blender and blend until completely smooth, then serve alongside the biscuits.

delicious. tips

  1. If you don’t want these spicy just leave out the cayenne pepper.

  2. You can make the sauce up to 24 hours in advance and store in the fridge. The biscuits are best eaten within a few hours.

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