Do you love it or hate it? We love these chunky cheese straws made with a generous spoonful of Marmite for a delicious umami flavour. Add more or less to your mix depending on whether you’re a lover or hater.
• 375g plain flour
• pinch salt
• 225g butter, diced
• 150g mature cheddar, grated
• 50g freshly grated Parmesan (or a similar hard cheese)
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1-2 teaspoon marmite
• 2 eggs, yolks only
1. Start by sifting the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Use your fingertips to blend the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs without any lumps.
3. Add the cheese, cayenne, Marmite and egg yolks, and mix well. Gradually add 4-5 tablespoons of cold water to form a firm dough.
4. Once the dough is ready, wrap it in cling film or a BeeBee wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
5. Line a baking sheet with Bake-O-Glide®. The Portmeirion for AGA White Baking Tray works well for this.
6. Roll out the chilled dough into a square shape, aiming for a 2.5cm thickness. Cut the square in half, then slice each half into strips of your preferred width (1-2cm). Thinner strips will bake more quickly.
7. Carefully twist the strips onto the lined baking sheet.
8. Position the baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the strips are crisp and golden brown. Keep an eye on them, and if they brown too quickly, use a cold plain shelf to control the heat.
9. Once done, remove the strips from the oven and let them cool on the tray. If you're making multiple batches, remember to let the cold plain shelf cool down between each round for consistent results. Enjoy your delicious cheese twists!
