Cheddar Cayenne Coins Food

CHEDDAR CAYENNE CHIPS

Steps:

• Using largest holes on a box grater, coarsely shred enough cheese to measure 2 1/2 cups.
• Toss together cheese and cayenne in a bowl, then make 4 mounds of cheese (1 tablespoon each) about 2 inches apart in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over low heat (cheese will melt and spread), undisturbed, until bubbling and firm enough to lift, 4 to 5 minutes (do not turn over). Quickly transfer with a metal spatula to a rolling pin, allowing chips to drape over pin, and cool completely. Pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels. Make more chips in same manner.

CHEDDAR-CAYENNE COINS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, cheese, salt, and cayenne in a food processor. Process until just blended. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the yolk and water together with a fork and drizzle over the mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form small moist crumbs. Add the chopped nuts and pulse briefly until the crumbs begin to come together.
• Pile the moist crumbs on an unfloured work surface. With the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Using a pastry scraper or a metal spatula, lift up one edge of the dough and fold it into the center (the dough will still be rough, so don't expect a neat, smooth fold). Repeat with the opposite edge, like folding a letter. Turn the dough 45 degrees. Give the dough another smearing and shape it into a 14-inch log that's 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours, or up to two days.
• Heat the oven to 375°F Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the log into scant 1/4-inch slices. Arrange about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake until medium to deep golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets as needed for even baking. If you like, sprinkle the crackers with a little kosher salt just as the baking sheets come out of the oven. Set the sheets on racks to cool. When the coins are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.
• Make Ahead Tips.
• The rolled log of dough may be frozen for up to a month and then thawed for about an hour on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight. Or bake the coins ahead, wrap short stacks in plastic, pack the stacks in plastic containers, and stash them in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature (or put the frozen coins right in the oven) and warm them for a few minutes at 325°F to refresh them.

CHEESE COINS WITH JALAPENO JELLY

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, salt, and spices. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheddar; process until dough starts to hold together.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead a few times. Divide into four equal pieces, and roll into logs, each about 6 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw until pliable.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut dough into 1/3-inch-thick slices; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer coins to a wire rack to cool completely. Cheese coins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
• To serve, spoon a small amount of jelly onto center of each coin.

CHEDDAR CHEESE COINS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, both cheeses, black pepper, salt and paprika, and pulse until well combined and sandy, about 30 seconds. Add butter and scallions, and pulse just until well blended, about 30 seconds. Continue pulsing and drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water just until the dough comes together.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Roll each half into a log that is 1 inch in diameter and about 12 inches long. If using sesame seeds, spread them onto the work surface and roll the log over the seeds until lightly coated. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Using a sharp knife, slice chilled logs into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange them on the prepared sheets about ½ inch apart. Bake, switching the sheets from top to bottom and rotating halfway through, until golden and just firm (they will continue to crisp up as they cool), 23 to 25 minutes.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature overnight, then refrigerate for up to 1 week. To recrisp after refrigerating and serve warm, heat in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.

CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Add the flour, both cheeses, salt and cayenne to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until combined.
• Scatter the cold butter chunks on top, and pulse again to form coarse crumbs.
• Add egg yolk, pecans and seeds, and pulse to combine thoroughly, yielding a coarse grainy meal.
• Transfer mixture to a large stainless-steel bowl. Sprinkle the ice water on top, and knead briefly to bring the dough together, as you would a pie dough.
• Divide the dough into thirds, and roll each into a neat, 8-inch-long cylinder that is about the width of a silver dollar. Wrap each log in plastic wrap, and twist the ends tightly in opposite directions, forming a perfect and compact torchon. Refrigerate until well chilled and completely firm; overnight is ideal.
• Heat the oven to 375. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Unwrap the dough, discarding plastic wrap, and slice the logs into thin coins, each about the width of a pencil.
• Arrange the coins in neat rows on the prepared sheets, making sure they're not quite touching one another. This dough won't expand or flatten after baking.
• Bake until golden at their centers and just starting to toast at their edges, about 20 minutes. Check them midway through baking, and rotate sheets if your oven bakes unevenly.
• Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Once they are fully cooled, transfer coins to an airtight container, where they will keep for up to 3 weeks.