How to Make Perfect Cheese Straws with Handmade Rough Puff Pastry

Ever since I made the Haitian Patties, I’ve been experimenting with rough puff pastry.

It is an interesting concept, and it makes life so much easier compared to making proper puff pastry. Yes, you will not get perfect layers and yes it will not be as flaky, but the result is still nicely light and crumbly. And for the effort put in, it is a trade-off most people will be happy to make.

This time around I added an extra fold to make the pastry even lighter. You can use any cheese you like. I chose gouda and parmesan just because they were in my fridge already. Next time I would go for a stronger cheese than gouda though.

You can top your cheese straws with any seeds you like or not use any seeds at all.

This recipe makes 12 decently large cheese straws. To make more simply multiply all the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

300g (10.6oz) white bread flour

250g (8.8oz) cold butter cut into large cubes

7g (0.24oz) salt

90g (3.2oz) cold water

For filling & topping –

150g (5.3oz) gouda or other cheese

20g (0.7oz) parmesan

6g (0.21oz) caraway seeds

1 egg for brushing

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Mix well. Add the butter cubes and coat them with flour. Break each butter cube into 4 pieces. Do not break the butter up too much as this dough will not turn out the way it should if you do.
2. Add the water and mix until there is no dry flour left. Do not work the dough too much. Press it together slowly and do not knead it.
3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Dust the dough and the table with flour generously. Roll the dough out to three times its length. Straighten the edges and fold it in three layers.
5. Roll it out again and fold it into three layers once more. Wrap it up and chill it for 1 hour.
6. Repeat the same steps as before. Roll the dough out. Fold in 3. Roll out again and fold into 3 once more. Wrap up and refrigerate for 1 hour. Now it is ready to be used for any project you decide to use it for.
7. To make the cheese straws roll the dough out to a large rectangle. How thick or thin you make your pastry is up to you. I did not measure mine.
8. Brush the whole dough with egg. Sprinkle the cheese over half of it and then fold the other half over. Press it down and then roll it a few times with the rolling pin to flatten and make the layers stick together.
9. Trim the edges and cut into strips. Twist each strip and arrange on a non-stick paper lined tray.
10. Brush with egg and sprinkle with seeds.
11. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 210C (410F) for 25 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.