Spices add nice kick to snackable cheesy crackers
These delicate, crumbly, cheesy, buttery spiced crackers are popular in the South but should be required snacking everywhere.
And though they are mostly about the cheese, the crackers would have onenote richness without the added pizazz of some backup spices: sweet, peppery paprika and cayenne.
These give the cracker interest, bolster the extrasharp cheddar’s bold flavor and add pleasant heat. To make a version that mimicked cheese straws’ signature decorative stripes without using a cookie press, we rolled out the dough into a square and made lines with the tines of a fork before cutting the dough into strips and baking.
Using a food processor to buzz the grated cheese, chilled butter, flour and baking powder together resulted in crackers with a short, extra-tender texture. A variation pairs nutty Parmesan and black pepper for a slightly more refined straw with the perfect salt-and-pepper balance.
SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS
Makes 48 servings
From the “Spiced” cookbook by America's Test Kitchen.
2 cups extra-sharp cheddar
cheese, shredded
1½ cups all-purpose flour 8 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into 8 pieces and chilled ¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons ice water
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Process cheddar, flour, butter, salt, paprika, baking powder and cayenne in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add ice water and process until dough ball starts to form, about 25 seconds.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by Southern cheese straws
hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Using your hands, pat dough into rough 4-inch square. Roll dough into 10-inch square about ¼-inch thick, flouring counter and dough as needed to prevent sticking.
Position dough so one side is parallel to counter edge. Using rounded side of fork, drag tines across entire surface of dough to make decorative lines.
Using pizza cutter or chef's knife, trim away and discard outer ½ inch of dough to make neat square. Cut dough into 3 equal pieces perpendicular to lines. Working with one section of dough at a time, cut into ½-inch-wide strips in direction of lines.
Evenly space cheese straws on prepared sheet, about
½ inch apart. Bake until edges of straws are light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let straws cool completely on sheet. Serve. (Straws can be stored at room temperature for up to one week.)
Variation Parmesan-black pepper cheese straws
Reduce extra-sharp cheddar to 1½ cups. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan to food processor with flour. Substitute 1 teaspoon pepper for cayenne.
PER SERVING: 52 calories,
1 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 0 sugar, 4 g fat
(2 g saturated), 10 mg cholesterol, 73 mg sodium