Frosted Twists Food

PART-CHEESY TWISTS

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, salt, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and a few grinds of black pepper in a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add the Cheddar, butter and sour cream and process until the mixture forms a ball. Form the dough into a disc, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Break off a tablespoon of dough and roll it between your hands or on a work surface to form a rope about 10 inches long. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape and place it on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 24 twists (12 per baking sheet).
• Beat the egg with a small splash of water. Brush the twists very lightly with the egg wash. Put a little paprika in a small sieve and dust over the twists.
• Bake the twists, switching the positions of the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown on the underside and pale golden on top, about 12 minutes.

BUTTER TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy. Mix in vanilla and egg white. Reduce speed to low. Add salt and flour; mix until combined.
• Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch log. Bend log in half, then twist. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies just begin to turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.

ALMOND TWISTS

Steps:

• Prepare the egg wash: Combine the yolks, whole egg, and milk in a small mixing bowl and whip with a hand whisk until well combined. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Flour the dough and table as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the table or the rolling pin. Place the dough on your work surface with a long side facing you. Use a pastry brush to coat the surface of the rectangle with some egg wash. Liberally sprinkle the ground almonds over the rectangle, followed by the salt and pepper. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the rectangle into ten 1-inch wide strips. Next, cut each of these strips into three 4-inch-long pieces. Flip each strip so that the almonds are on the bottom. Twist each strip by rolling each end in opposite directions. Always remember to twist so that the topping faces out --that way you can see how they are flavored. Place the strips on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet and bake until well risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. These puff pastry items are best eaten the day they are made.

PARMESAN CHEESE TWISTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Stir the cheese, parsley and oregano in a small bowl.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise. Brush the halves with the egg mixture. Top 1 half with the cheese mixture. Place the remaining half over the filling, egg-side down. Roll gently with a rolling pin to seal.
• Cut the pastry crosswise into 28 (1/2-inch) strips. Twist the strips and place on a baking sheet, pressing down the ends. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• Tip: To make ahead, place the unbaked twists onto a baking sheet and brush with the egg mixture. Cover and freeze until firm. Remove the frozen strips from the baking sheet and store in a gallon size resealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bake the frozen pastries on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.

CHEESE TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Knead until thoroughly mixed. Roll dough into quarter-sized balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll balls into pencil-shaped "sticks" in Parmesan so the sticks are coated. Flatten with rolling pin or by hand. Twist each about 6 to 8 times and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake approximately 30 minutes. Cool on pan. Store in sealed container