Cheese Straws Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Why are my cheese straws not crispy? ›

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.

The Oxo Cookie Press Is The Best For Making Cheese Straws.

Stored in an airtight container, baked cheese straws will last up to 1 week. Unbaked dough can be stored in the fridge for 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month. To crisp up stored cheese straws that have gone slightly stale, bake them in a 350° oven for 3 to 4 minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't burn.

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.

If you cook them for a long time at a lower temperature they could become very dry and brittle. However, if your cheese straws are dry and very crumbly it's more likely that there isn't enough cheese in the mixture.

The rectangle-shaped disc blade of a cookie press, on the other hand, produces straws that are flat on the bottom but ridged along the top, leaving delicate crevices that cradle salt as the straws bake. The star disc comes a close second, resulting in thin crisp-edged straws that are pretty but brittle.

Making cheese straws was once a way of preserving cheese in the hot and humid South. But nothing enhanced their appeal like a good co*cktail, and they became immensely popular in the canapé-crazed fifties and early sixties.

Fill a cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions and fit with the star-shaped disk. Holding the cookie press at an angle on an ungreased or Silpat-lined cookie sheet, press the trigger twice, dragging the press away to make straws 3 inches long. Space the straws 1 inch apart.

Store cheese straws in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in a freezer for up to 1 month.

Cheese straws are one of those classic Southern treats, something that no self-respecting hostess would be without in her culinary repertoire. They are usually served before a meal, though they are also delicious with soups, salads, wine, cheese and I have even been known to dip cheese straws into a bowl of queso.

Where to store cheese straws? ›

Store in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight. Once pack is opened the product should be kept in an airtight container.

How to freeze. You can easily prepare the cheese straws without the second egg wash and place them on a sheet pan to flash freeze then after a few hours transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to a week. Then just bake directly from the freezer, you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.

The history of southern cheese straws is a subject for debate. Some say that it can be traced back to the British “biscuit.” While others say the biscotti and hard breads of Italy and Spain regions of Europe. No matter where they originated, the cheese straw has found its home in the kitchens of the south.

Morrisons 14 Mini Cheese Straws, 204g (Frozen) : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery.

If you find your cheese crisps are soggy once they've cooled, you likely didn't bake them enough. The edges should be brown before they are removed from the oven. Alternatively, you may have used a soft cheese that won't harden properly when it cools.

Acid-curd cheeses aren't suitable for melting. They contain an acid that dissolves the calcium glue that keeps casein proteins together. As the milk heats, the acid curds become closer to one another, and the water content decreases. Without the calcium glue, the cheese will continue to solidify and will not melt.

But Not Too Much Heat: The thing is, once cheese is heated too far beyond its melting point, the proteins firm up and squeeze out moisture—the same way protein does in meat. When this occurs you're left with rubbery, clumpy bits of cheese protein that separate from the fat and moisture.

Follow this tip: After forming the cheese ball, plan to chill it in the fridge for at least several hours (up to six days). This will give it plenty of time to firm up so it's guaranteed to hold its shape.