Cheese Twists (Puff Pastry Cheese Straws)
Cheese twists are the best snack in the freezer aisle that you can also make at home in twenty minutes. Puff pastry, grated cheese, a twist, a hot oven — that is the whole recipe. They are impressive enough for guests and easy enough for a Tuesday.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 100 g hard cheese, finely grated — Parmesan, mature Cheddar, Gruyère or a mix
- 1 egg, beaten, or a little milk for glazing
- Optional: mustard powder, paprika, cayenne, dried herbs
Method
- Unroll the pastry and brush the surface with beaten egg or milk.
- Scatter over the grated cheese and any seasoning, leaving a small border.
- Fold the pastry in half to trap the cheese, or roll gently so the cheese presses in.
- Cut into strips about 2 cm wide.
- Pick up each strip and twist in opposite directions to form a spiral.
- Place on a lined tray, brush with more egg.
- Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 12–15 minutes, until puffed and golden.
Getting them crisp
The enemy of crisp pastry is moisture. Use a hard, dry cheese rather than a moist one, grate it finely so it does not weigh down the pastry, and do not overfill. Chilling the twists for 15 minutes before baking helps them hold their shape and puff more evenly.
Flavour variations
- Parmesan and black pepper — the classic
- Cheddar and mustard — sharper and punchy
- Gruyère and thyme — nutty and herby
- Blue cheese and walnut — bolder, for blue cheese lovers
Make-ahead and freezing
Assemble the twists on a tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3–4 minutes. They also keep for a day or two in an airtight tin, though they are best the day they are made. Re-crisp in a hot oven rather than the microwave.
These belong on a cheese board alongside the cheese itself. Choose your cheese with our Parmigiano guide.
