Cayenne Pepper Wafers Recipe 45

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, cayenne, and salt in a large shallow bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add the cheese and rub into the flour-butter mixture gently with your fingertips until a small bit of dough, when pinched together, will hold its shape. Roll into 3/4-inch balls, place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets, then flatten into rounds 1/4-inch thick by pressing with a flat-bottomed glass that has been dipped into flour. (You'll have to keep dipping the glass into flour to keep the dough from sticking to it.) Bake uncovered 10 to 12 minutes until pale tan. Transfer the wafers at once to wire racks to cool, then store airtight.

Steps:

• 1. Mix softened butter, flour and cheese. Add cayenne pepper and 1 beaten egg. Place in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill several hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove dough from refrigerator and let set on counter for a bit to soften so you can roll it out. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place parchment paper on baking sheet; beat egg in a separate bowl to use as an egg wash. I take about 1/3 of the mixture at a time and on a floured surface, roll out dough until it's about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a small biscuit cutter and place circles on parchment paper, not touching. Brush tops of circles with egg wash. Bake 10 minutes, depending on how thick you have rolled the dough. You'll need to keep an eye on them, so they don't burn. They will begin to brown slightly on the top. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with salt. (While I have a batch cooking, I will roll out more dough and cut the circles. That way I don't walk off and leave them to cook too long, which I'm good at doing). Cool and remove from parchment to container with tight fitting lid.

Steps:

• Cream the cheese and butter. Sift together the cayenne pepper, salt, and flour and add, gradually, to butter mixture. Add the nuts, mixing well. Divide the dough in half and shape into logs to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper Cut logs into 1/4 inch slices. Place 1 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly colored. Cool! Store in air tight container.