The clocks have gone back, Halloween has passed, we’ve been through bonfire night and now it’s time to look towards Christmas.
Last night I looked through some old photos of what I baked last Christmas and I realised that I’ve never posted the recipe to these delicious cheese biscuits.
These parmesan and gruyere cheese biscuits are so buttery and melt in the mouth. They would make a perfect little gift for a Christmas hamper or just a great little snack to take round when you’re visiting friends over the festive period.
In reality though you will make a batch, try one, then devour the lot yourself. If you want a little smokey hit rather than heat, switch out the cayenne for paprika.
Ingredients:
75g plain flour
75g cold unsalted butter, cubed
50g Gruyère cheese, grated
25g Parmesan cheese, grated. Plus a little extra to sprinkle on top.
Pinch of cayenne chilli powder (add a bigger pinch if you like a little heat).
Ground black pepper
Method:
- Add flour, cayenne and a good grind of black pepper into a bowl or food processor.
- Add the butter and rub in lightly with your fingertips, or blitz in food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the cheese to the mixture. If using a food processor, pulse until combined.
- Bring the mixture together with your hands until it creates a soft dough.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/Gas Mark 7 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to around 3-4 mm, or the thickness of a pound coin.
- Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out the biscuits, around a 5cm size is good. You can re roll the dough until it is all used.
- Place on the tray to allow some spreading.
- Chill for another 30 minutes to prevent too much spread.
- Bake for 10 minutes or so, until lightly browned at the edges.
- Grind some pepper over them together with a little sprinkle of leftover Parmesan.
- Leave on the baking trays for a couple of minutes to firm up, then carefully move to a wire rack wire rack to cool completely.
- Ingredients:
- 75g plain flour
- 75g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 50g Gruyère cheese, grated
- 25g Parmesan cheese, grated. Plus a little extra to sprinkle on top.
- Pinch of cayenne chilli powder (add a bigger pinch if you like a little heat).
- Ground black pepper
- .
- Add flour, cayenne and a good grind of black pepper into a bowl or food processor.
- Add the butter and rub in lightly with your fingertips, or blitz in food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the cheese to the mixture. If using a food processor, pulse until combined.
- Bring the mixture together with your hands until it creates a soft dough.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/Gas Mark 7 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to around 3-4 mm, or the thickness of a pound coin.
- Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out the biscuits, around a 5cm size is good. You can re roll the dough until it is all used.
- Place on the tray to allow some spreading.
- Chill for another 30 minutes to prevent too much spread.
- Bake for 10 minutes or so, until lightly browned at the edges.
- Grind some pepper over them together with a little sprinkle of leftover Parmesan.
- Leave on the baking trays for a couple of minutes to firm up, then carefully move to a wire rack wire rack to cool completely.