Cheese Straws

[michaelman2]

I had a hankering for some Cheese Straws and decided to grate some Extra Sharp Cheddar, soften some decent butter, some White Lily All Purpose, some HOT Cayenne pepper ..and the trusty ole Cookie Press/Cooky Press ....guys, these things are addictive...truly, cannot eat just one.

 

[michaelman2]

And the Cookie/Cooky Press

My Grandmother's Press

 

[michaelman2]

Cookie Press Box

the original box

 

[michaelman2]

And the Recipe:

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 (1-pound) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, as finely as possible
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper, I used cayenne(a pinch will flavor the Pacific Ocean..careful with this)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined.
Use a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape mixture into long ribbons, following manufacturer's instructions, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cut ribbons into 2-inch pieces.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Cheese Wafers: Combine ingredients as directed; chill dough 2 hours. Shape dough into 4 (8-inch-long) logs; wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill 8 hours. Cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container 1 week.

Note:

If you don't have a heavy-duty stand mixer, you can use a handheld mixer. Just divide the ingredients in half, and work with two batches.

 

[mixfinder]

Cheesy Grin

Where does the line form?  I have the ingredients on hand so I'll whip up a batch for Sunday.

 

[michaelman2]

Hey Kelly, I'll be up. I am sitting here eating these things and will be out of them in a few hours...ugh.

I kind of felt like the Little Red Hen...I had asked my friends if they wanted to come over and help make the Cheese Straws; grate the cheese, pack the press, bake them perfectly...nooooooo, I am going here, I am doing this or that.....

When I called them to come eat the Cheese Straws..Oh good, you have wine right?..They all will devour the little delicacies they just wont help bake them...lol

so, I will be up and help you..then devour them...lol

 

[mixfinder]

Moving Experience

Before we eat all the cheese straws, we should find someone who made prune kolaches or we'll be pretty uptight!

 

[sudsmaster]

I don't have a cookie press, but I do have the pasta extrusion attachment for the KA stand mixer. Would that work?

I don't think I've ever had cheese straws. But with more butter than cheese, they gotta be good. LOL.

 

[mattl]

Kelly---- I have 5 or 6 dozen at the moment, but not for long...

 

[mixfinder]

High Level Summit

I can scarcely imagine anything I would look forward to more than the three of us nestled in the decorations of your incredible house, finding our turn to talk when the other had a mouthful of crunchy straws that melt in our mouth. I can taste the yeasty richness of the kolachke while the tartness of the filling kisses the hinges of our jaws. What a wonderful dream to put in the bucket list.

 

[michaelman2]

Rich, I am not sure if the extruder would work, I think in theory, yes? Another option and one that I used along with the cookie press is to roll out the very stiff dough between two pieces of parchment to a thin (pie crust thickness) strip and cut with knife or cookie cutters. That works well too.

Kelly, LOL...yep, we all would be in carb heaven ...I think ya'll guys need a trip from the cold soon ?

 

[kevin313]

Cheese staws

Oh man, do these look and sound good!

These are a southern thing, right? They were never very popular here in Michigan. Growing up, one of my friend's mom was from the south, and she made these. I remember how light and cheesy they were. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

 

[michaelman2]

Hey Kevin, you pegged it...these are as southern as sweet tea! They are great with a glass of wine. Try the recipe, it is good and the dough is a very stiff one. It freezes well, as do the baked cheese straws.

For years at receptions, parties and gatherings, these little things were always present, always. Now Atlanta is not as southern as other cities and there are a few of us that still do these for events.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I need to tell our cousin Carol about the press. She has a similar recipe that a friend of hers gave her last year, but they roll them into small, thin breadstick shapes (a bit thinner than a #2 pencil) and bake them. She said it takes forever!

Chuck

 

[michaelman2]

Chuck, if your cousin does not have a cookie press, they are plentiful on Ebay. This dough is so stiff that it tends not to work well with a press that has plastic parts. The old Mirro aluminum presses are no longer made but last forever and are all metal. I know that Williams-Sonoma has a press but it is plastic and not for this type of dough.

 

[frigilux]

Three sticks of butter and a pound of cheddar? Count me in, LOL!

Having very stupidly lost track of my mom's metal cookie press/extruder, I am the owner of a wimpy plastic model. Looks like I'll need to roll it out and cut the strips with a pizza cutter.

Thanks for sharing your recipe, Michael.

 

[michaelman2]

You bet Eugene/Frigilux, Rolling the dough out is easy as it is quite stiff. The pizza cutter is a great idea! I know that when I have rolled out the recipe, a knife will cut it easily too. Really watch them when baking...A few seconds too long and they burn quickly. I have at times made them a bit overcooked as I kind of like the toasted taste. That is tricky.

 

[mixfinder]

Rolling

I made them last night at the Bellevue house and it was the first time I ever used a Kitchenaid when it stalled completely. Kneaded the dough a few times by hand and rolled them out. They are beautiful and delicious. I forked the top and they puffed about triple from the rolled thickness. The look reminded me of the Quaker communion bread of my childhood. I'll post pictures when I am home next week.

 

[jeffg]

> I have at times made them a bit overcooked as I kind of like the toasted taste.

Michael, you and me and just about everyone else I know. If you want to be the world's next billionaire, start a snack food company that does products well done. Everything from cheese straws to potato chips taste way better when they're slightly browned. I don't know why nobody else has done it.

 

[sudsmaster]

Count me out... I prefer a light toast.