Hold The Applause

I got ambitious this weekend and made my own crackers. Yes, that is right I made crackers from scratch. I was pretty darn proud of myself. The crackers were actually pretty easy to make and they turned out very tasty. I would consider these in the cheese straw family. They are a little thicker than a regular cracker and have the same consistency as a cheese straw. They would be perfect for a holiday party. My girl Ina, aka Barefoot Contessa, says she always serves these at parties, so you should too. If you don't like blue cheese she has another great recipe for Parmesan thyme crackers and they are delicious too. I picture serving these crackers with a tall dirty martini- heaven.




What Ina's crackers looked like, I must say mine looked quite similar (pat on the back).

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT CRACKERS
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
8 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 12 ounces with rind), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and Stilton together for 1 minute, or until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix until it's in large crumbles, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix until combined.
Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 12-inch long log. Brush the log completely with the egg wash. Spread the walnuts in a square on a cutting board and roll the log back and forth in the walnuts, pressing lightly, and distributing them evenly on the outside of the log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the log 3/8ths-inch thick with a small, sharp knife and place the crackers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.
Print Recipe HERE