Cheddar Shortbread Food

CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD BITES

Steps:

• Combine flour, butter, salt and red pepper in medium bowl; beat at medium speed until dough forms. Add cheese; mix until a ball forms. Shape dough into circle; wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. (It will be hard to roll at first, but will soften. Press together any cracks that form on edges of dough.) Cut dough with 1 1/2-inch cookie cutters or pizza cutter into desired shapes. Place onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Beat egg white and water together in small bowl. Brush cut-outs with egg wash; sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges. Immediately loosen from pan; let cool on pan.
• Recipe Tip
• Shortbread can be topped with a variety of other ingredients such as chili powder, seasoned salt, fennel seed or herbs.

CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Combine butter, mustard, and pepper in food processor, and whirl to combine. Add cheese and whirl again to mix.
• Add flour and pulse just until blended.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface, to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with desired small cookie cutter and transfer to cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom.

CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD ROUNDS

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and spices in a food processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add cheese and process until dough starts to hold together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, and roll into logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut dough into 1/4 inch-thick slices and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly browned. Let cool completely on cookie sheets; remove. Store in an airtight container.

SCOTTISH SHARP-CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
• Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

PEPPER AND CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD CANAPéS WITH SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir flour and pepper together in a medium-sized bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• On low speed, beat in cheddar until just blended.
• Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in half of flour mixture, then milk, then remaining flour mixture, until moistened (batter will be very thick).
• Turn out on to a pastry board or the counter and finish mixing with hands and pat into a disc shape
• Place disc between 2 sheets of waxed paper and roll out to about 1/4-inch thick, or about 12 inches in diameter.
• Using a 2-inch cookie cutter (preferably with decorative serrated edge), cut out rounds and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Re-roll scraps, cut out rounds and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in 2 batches.
• Place each baking sheet in centre of preheated 325F oven.
• Bake until are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes before transferring shortbreads to rack, using a metal spatula, to cool to room temperature.
• In medium bowl, stir together sour cream and salmon.
• Spoon rounded teaspoons onto centre of each shortbread.
• Garnish each shortbread with a dill sprig.

CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD BITES (CRACKERS)

Steps:

• Combine flour, butter, salt and red pepper in medium bowl; beat at medium speed until dough forms.
• Add cheese; mix until a ball forms.
• Shape dough into circle; wrap in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. (It will be hard to roll at first, but will soften. Press together any cracks that form on edges of dough.).
• Cut dough with 1 1/2-inch cookie cutters or pizza cutter into desired shapes.
• Place onto ungreased baking sheets.
• If toppings wanted:.
• Beat one egg white and water together in small bowl. Brush cut-outs with egg wash; sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges. Immediately loosen from pan; let cool on pan.
• Variations: Shortbread bites can be topped with variety of other ingredients such as chili powder, seasoned salt, fennel seed or herbs.

CHEDDAR & HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Blitz 85g of the hazelnuts in a food processor until ground. Cut the rest of the hazelnuts in half.
• Pulse the ground hazelnuts, butter, flour, cheddar, ½ tsp salt and the egg in the food processor a few times. Don't pulse for too long - you want the mixture to look like breadcrumbs rather than coming together in a ball. Tip the mixture onto a large piece of cling film and, using the cling film to shape it, mould it into a ball, then leave in the fridge for a couple of hours.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pull off chunks of the dough - about a tablespoon at a time - and roll each piece into a ball. Place on a baking sheet and flatten each biscuit to around 3.5cm across, leaving room between each one. Push 3-4 hazelnut halves into each biscuit. Cook for 10 mins, or until the biscuits are golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. Will keep for up to three days in an airtight container.