Cheese and Thyme Straws - James Martin Chef (2024)
Cheese and Thyme Straws
These Cheese and Thyme straws are savoury, buttery heaven! Perfect to offer as nibbles at parties and gatherings they are made with two types of cheese. You can customise them with your own flavours such as rosemary, cayenne pepper or smoked paprika. You can even freeze them. One straw just won't be enough, you have been warned!
To makethe pastryplace the flour into a mound on the work surface, make adeep wellthenadd the butter and salt. Using your fingertips work theingredients together, drawing more flour into the well. Work the mixture untilcombined butso thatyou can still see lumps of butter.
Gradually add the cold water and mix to a rough dough. Roll into a ball,wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.
When the dough is chilled,roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a 40cm x20cm rectangle.
Fold one side of the dough into the middle, then do thesame from the other side. Next fold one half of the dough onto the other.Turn 90 degrees,roll out again and repeat the process then cling film and chillfor 30 minutes. Repeat this process twice more and finally chill for another 30minutes.
To make the straws,roll out the dough again to 40cm x 30 cm,brush all overwith beaten eggthensprinkle over theParmesan, Cheddarand thyme.
Cut into 2 cm strips,twistthem several timesand placeonto a baking sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutesthen serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
250g plain flour
250g cold butter,diced
½ tsp salt
125ml cold water
50g gratedParmesan
50g gratedCheddar
10-12sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1 egg
Method
Pre heatthe oven to 200°C.
To makethe pastryplace the flour into a mound on the work surface, make adeep wellthenadd the butter and salt. Using your fingertips work theingredients together, drawing more flour into the well. Work the mixture untilcombined butso thatyou can still see lumps of butter.
Gradually add the cold water and mix to a rough dough. Roll into a ball,wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.
When the dough is chilled,roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a 40cm x20cm rectangle.
Fold one side of the dough into the middle, then do thesame from the other side. Next fold one half of the dough onto the other.Turn 90 degrees,roll out again and repeat the process then cling film and chillfor 30 minutes. Repeat this process twice more and finally chill for another 30minutes.
To make the straws,roll out the dough again to 40cm x 30 cm,brush all overwith beaten eggthensprinkle over theParmesan, Cheddarand thyme.
Cut into 2 cm strips,twistthem several timesand placeonto a baking sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutesthen serve warm or at room temperature.
They sampled a range of Christmas recipes, including prawn co*cktail, roast chicken, and salmon mousse, whipped up by James, as well as dishes from chefs Galton Blackiston and Paul Ainsworth.
Why aren't my cheese straws crispy? It can be hard to tell when cheese straws are perfectly baked, but underbaking can lead to soft straws instead of crisp ones. Bake until firm to the touch and lightly browned, then cool on a rack for good air flow to eliminate excess moisture.
Cheese Straws aren't something I think keep for a long time. Once they're baked, they really are best eaten within two days. After this they will start to get a little softer and loose their crisp texture. Keeping them in an airtight container helps prevent this.
A talented chef, James trained at the Hostellerie De Plaisance in France before working in Michelin star restaurants; one of which included Anthony Worrall Thompson's restaurant in Kensington. By the age of 22, he had set up Winchester's Hotel du Vin as the head chef.
In September 2013 Martin opened his restaurant James Martin Manchester, specialising in modern British cuisine. There are branches of James Martin Kitchen bakery and cafe located airside at Stansted and Glasgow airports, and at Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station.
As a result, back in 2021, Celebrity Net Worth estimated that James is worth a huge £3.6 million. However, it's reportedly been boosted significantly since then. Fast-forward two years, add on a couple of cookbooks and new TV series, and best estimates are that the Yorkshire lad is now worth a reported £5m.
Our cheese straws are made with puff pastry, which is cut into strips and then twisted into “straws.” Puff pastry is made of hundreds upon hundreds of thin layers of dough and butter. In the heat of the oven, these layers puff dramatically and become incredibly crispy.
For straws: Place the dough into a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Push the dough into one corner of the bag and press the air out. Snip the tip and pipe them into 3” long strips about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and edges.
Cheese straws should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. To extend the shelf life, you can also store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
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Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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