Marthas Cheese Straws Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, one at a time, roll out each pastry sheet to a 12x18-inch rectangle. Combine the egg and the water and whisk to make an egg wash.
• Lay one pastry sheet flat on the work surface and lightly brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the cheeses and Essence. Top with the remaining sheet of pastry, pressing firmly to seal, then lightly roll with a rolling pin. Trim the edges with a knife to make them even. If you wish, change the flavor of the straws by using pesto sauce instead of the egg wash, top with cheese, and proceed as directed.
• Cut the dough crosswise into strips, about 1/3 to 1/2-inch wide. Twist each three times to make a spiral and place on an ungreased baking sheet. (You can also cut the pastry into diamond shapes and place them on the baking sheet.) Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove and transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Prepare the Puff Pastry.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If using, mix paprika with cheese. Sprinkle mixture on a work surface. Roll puff pastry to a rectangle approximately 10 inches by 13 inches, pressing dough into cheese to adhere. If desired, sprinkle top of dough with poppy seeds. Press gently with rolling pin to adhere.
• Trim sides with a pastry roller. (You will have a rectangle that is roughly 9 by 12 inches.)
• Cut the puff pastry into 3/4-inch strips, and twist from one end to the other. Arrange strips, 1 1/2 inches apart, on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Chill twists on baking sheets until very firm, about 45 minutes.
• Bake the cheese straws in middle of oven until golden brown and puffed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cheese straws to a rack to cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine cheese and cayenne in a bowl.
• Lay each puff-pastry sheet flat on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out two 11-by-16-inch rectangles. Dividing evenly, brush with some of beaten eggs and sprinkle with cheese mixture. Using a pastry cutter or sharp paring knife, trim long ends to make even, then cut each rectangle crosswise into fifteen 1/2-inch-wide strips.
• Working with one at a time, twist each strip into a spiral and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Using your thumb, press ends of strips onto parchment to prevent unraveling during baking. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Bake until pastry is golden, rotating sheets halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks before serving or storing.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put the softened cheese and butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer. Using the heaviest mixer paddle attachment, beat until the mixture has the consistency of whipped cream, 15 to 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, sift 3 cups of the flour with the salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Gradually add the seasoned flour to the cheese mixture by large spoonfuls, beating well after each addition. Add the remaining 1 cup unseasoned flour incrementally until the dough is somewhat stiff but still soft enough to be pushed through a cookie press; you may not need to add all the flour.
• Lightly spray 4 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Put a portion of the dough into a cookie press fitted with the star tube and press the dough onto a cookie sheet in long strips that run the length of the pan. Repeat until the pan is full. Bake until straws are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes.
• With your hands or a sharp knife, break or cut the long strips into 3-inch lengths. Use a flat, thin spatula or an egg turner to remove the cheese strips from the pan. Allow them to cool on a wire rack. When they are completely cool, serve or store in a tightly covered container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor fitted with the grating blade, grate cheese. Switch to cutting blade; add flour, butter, mustard powder, salt, ground pepper, and cayenne. Pulse until a dough forms.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface; divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about 3/8 inch in diameter and 18 inches long; cut each rope into six 3-inch pieces. Place pieces 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Drag the tines of a fork down each straw to create ridges.
• Bake until golden and firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cheese until blended. Combine flour, salt and cayenne; stir into cheese mixture until a dough forms. Roll into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Cut into thirty 6-in. strips. Gently place strips 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Make the dough package: Whisk together flours and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Form a well in center; pour in cold water. Using your hands, gradually draw flour mixture over water, covering and gathering until mixture begins to come together. In bowl, knead until dough just comes together, about 15 seconds. Pat into a rough ball; turn out onto plastic wrap. Wrap tightly; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Make the butter package: Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons flour on a piece of parchment paper. Place sticks of butter on top; sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons flour. Top with parchment. Using a rolling pin, pound butter to soften and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Remove top parchment; fold butter package in half onto itself. Replace top parchment; pound until butter is 1/2 inch thick. Repeat 2 or 3 times, or until butter becomes quite pliable. Using your hands, shape into a 6-inch square. Wrap well in plastic; refrigerate until cold, up to 10 minutes.
• Roll dough: Place dough package on a lightly floured work surface. Gently roll dough into a 9-inch round. Place butter package in center of dough round. Using a paring knife or bench scraper, lightly score dough to outline the butter square; remove butter, and set aside. Starting from each side of the center square, gently roll out dough with the rolling pin, forming four flaps, each 4 to 5 inches long; do not touch the raised square in center of dough. Place butter package on center square. Fold flaps of dough over butter to enclose. Press to seal.
• Using the rolling pin, press down on dough at regular intervals over entire surface until it is about 1 inch thick. Gently roll out into a rectangle, about 9 by 20 inches, with one of the short sides closest to you. Keep corners even by squaring them with the side of the rolling pin or your hands. Brush off any excess flour. Starting at the near end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter; this completes the first single turn. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Repeat step 5, giving it 5 more single turns. (Always start with the flap opening on the right.) Refrigerate 1 hour between each turn. After the sixth and final turn, wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before using.

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry dough to a 9-by-20-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese over center of dough. Starting at the near short end, fold dough into thirds, enclosing cheese. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. Repeat. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Cut dough in half; wrap half in plastic, and refrigerate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough to a 12-by-15-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. (Do not press too hard on edges.)
• Using a pastry brush, dust off excess flour; brush beaten egg over dough until well moistened. Sprinkle 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cheese and a pinch of salt over lower half of dough. Fold top half over cheese-covered half. Gently press to seal. Brush top of dough with beaten egg; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cheese and a pinch of salt.
• Trim dough to 12 by 6 1/2 inches with a pastry wheel or knife. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, cheese, and salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a pastry wheel, cut dough into 3/8-by-12-inch strips; twist into spirals. Space 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Press ends onto sheets to prevent straws from straightening. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Bake until golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Loosen straws from sheets with a thin spatula; transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it is 10- by 12-inches. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1¿4 cup of the Parmesan, 1¿2 cup of the Gruyère, 1¿2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1¿2 teaspoon of the salt, and some pepper. With the rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Don't over bake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water; set egg wash aside. In another small bowl, combine Parmesan, mustard powder, salt, and cayenne; set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough (still folded in thirds) to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. With short side facing you, cut in half crosswise; brush one side of both halves with egg wash. Sprinkle one egg-washed half with cheese mixture. Sandwich halves together, egg-washed sides facing in; press lightly to adhere. Run a rolling pin over dough to seal.
• With short side facing you, cut dough crosswise into 24 strips, each 8 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Place strips, 1 inch apart, onto 2 baking sheets; twist strips, pressing down on ends to adhere them to sheets. Bake until cheese straws are puffed and golden, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats; set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together both cheeses and cayenne pepper, if using. Sprinkle cheese mixture on work surface; top with puff pastry and roll out to a 10-by-13-inch rectangle, pressing dough into cheese to adhere. Sprinkle top of dough with poppy seeds, if desired; press gently with a rolling pin to adhere.
• Using a pastry cutter, trim sides to form a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut puff pastry into 3/4-inch-thick strips. Grab each end of a dough strip with your fingers and carefully stretch and twist strip in opposite directions; arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Transfer to refrigerator to chill, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grate cheese.
• In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients until combined, then add cheese and butter. Process until dough becomes smooth and has the texture of Play-Doh. Alternately, make the dough in a stand mixer by creaming cheese and butter until smooth. Then combine dry ingredients in a bowl and combine with butter mixture at low speed until smooth.
• Shape the dough into a cylinder, wrap with plastic wrap or parchment and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Or store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
• Bring dough to room temperature and pack it into a cookie press fitted with a star disk. Pipe long ribbons of dough across the baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, about an inch apart. Then cut into six-inch lengths. Repeat with remaining dough. Dough may also be hand-rolled into long ropes and cut to size, or shaped into a cylinder and sliced into rounds and baked.
• Bake for about 13 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Store between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container. Will keep for up to three weeks.