Puff Pastry - Cheese Twist – 2 Bliss of Baking

Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist is definitely a rocking appetizer.Hmmmmmmmmmm Cheese and jalapeno is layered between the flaky, crunchy, and buttery puff pastry. This beautifully baked golden finger-food is so aromatic, that I was enchanted with the fresh baked scent which spread all over my house. Just imagine the flavors that will hit your palette and the sound of the crunch you will experience on the first bite.

Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist

This is a very versatile recipe, make it sweet or savory – the choices are endless. There is the puff pastry in which the mix of chopped jalapeno and grated cheese with dried thyme is folded and twisted then baked.

There is ready to use puff pastry available –

Vicenzi Ciambelline Burro Fresco Puff Pastry with Fresh Butter, 85g

You can go ahead and use that one or come with me to learn how to make your own beautifully layered puff pastry in your kitchen. It’s not rocket science, You can very well achieve all those layers. All you need is a few good quality ingredients and patience. Let me not forget- Space in the fridge. 🙂

The dough for preparing Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist

Grated the frozen butter over the bottom two thirds of the dough.

Folding the butter in between the dough layers

All butter is packed inside, it goes straight in the fridge

The first fold starts, you will be rolling and folding the same way 3 time

Totally inspired by Mr. Paul Hollywood’s Cheats puff pastry. Its very easy to follow and will give great results. As far as the flavors are concerned, the choice is all yours. Mine turned out fantastic. Make it the way you like, Change it the way you like, Serve it the way you like.

Making of Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist after chilling of puff pastry

Folded into half, in between is the cheese and jalapeno mix

Twisted with gentle hands and placed on the prepared baking sheet

All baked and ready 🙂 Are you hungry

Few very important points to read before you start :
1. For the puff pastry every thing has to be cold, I mean, the ingredients as well as your head. You require patience and be very precise about all the steps.
2. If the pastry gets soft while rolling or cutting return it back to the fridge to firm up.
3. Dust your kitchen surface and your rolling pin with little flour before you start to work with your dough. But at the same time don’t incorporate extra flour to your rolled out dough sheet, dust out all the excess flour using a pastry brush.
4. Don’t over handle your dough,once the butter is added. Hand are warm so touch it to the least with your hands. At any stage of the making we don’t want the butter to melt.
5. Puff pastry is all about rolling and folding. After every fold the pastry has to go back to the fridge so we can maintain the layers and flakiness. Please don’t hurry the process – at least an hour in the fridge is required.
6. Use a pizza cutter to cut the stripes, Its easier and much neater then using a knife.
7. Brush your pastry with egg wash (one egg lightly beaten with about 1 tsp of water) or with little cold milk before baking for that attractive sheen.
8. Roll evenly without forcing.If you press too hard the pastry will lose the layers so be gentle.
9. Keep it even, keep it simple don’t over think or over do.
10.Don’t try to increase the amount of butter or layers to achieve the extra. Less is more while making of the puff pastry.
You can make a batch of the layered pastry dough and keep in the freezer for later use. Its a great way to handle quick and sudden guest situations.

Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist

INGREDIENTS
1. 300g plain flour
2. A pinch salt
3. 1 Tablespoon of sugar
4. 50 gm of butter chilled and cut into cubes
5. 120gm of butter frozen
6. Some cold water to knead the dough
7. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8. 1 jalapeno chopped
9. 1 tablespoon of dried thyme
10. Egg wash or 1/4th cup of cold milk

METHOD

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Rub in the cubed butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough water to form a dough (about 4-6 tablespoons of water). Wrap the dough in a cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Grate the frozen butter over the bottom two thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third and fold up the bottom third as if folding a letter. cover it and keep it in the fridge.( Now that the butter is in, it has to be in the fridge for atleast 1 hour after every fold )

Merry Folds !
Take the dough out of the fridge and put it on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a rectangle, keeping the edges as even as possible. Fold the top quarter down and the bottom quarter up so they meet neatly in the center. Then fold the dough in half along the center line. Chill again for 1 hour.
Repeat the process of folding at least 3 time then Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour before using.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl mix together cheese, jalapeno and dried thyme and set aside.
Lay out your puff pastry on your kitchen surface and roll out with the thickness of about 1/8th of an inch. Brush the sheet with egg wash or milk and top with cheese and jalapeno mix. Carefully fold the puff in half and press down gently using your rolling pin to get the even surface. Cut into even strips. Twist with gentle hands and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Now at this point if you feel that the butter is again melting, keep the prepared tray back in the fridge all covered.
Tip : you can use a big plastic bag rather then using so much of cling wrap. Put the tray inside the plastic bag and pop in the fridge
Bake the twists until golden brown about 35-45 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before enjoying.

Puff Pastry – Cheese Twist