Cheese sablés
Buttery, crumbly, cheesey, just a little spicy and absolutely perfect with a glass of chilled white wine. Coat the outside of these biscuits with a mixture of sesame and kalonji seeds to make them a more sophisticated cocktail nibble.
Makes: 24
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
You will need
175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp cumin or caraway seeds, lightly crushed
150g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
75g finely grated mature Cheddar cheese
75g finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp milk
Sesame seeds (optional)
Kalonji (black onion) seeds (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Tip the flour, salt, cayenne, mustard powder, cumin or caraway seeds and some black pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Add the diced butter and use the pulse button to rub it into the dry ingredients. Add the grated cheeses and pulse again until the dough just comes together – you may need to add a drop of cold water.
2. Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a log roughly 5cm in diameter, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or until firm.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment. Take the log out of the fridge, remove the clingfilm and brush with milk before coating in the sesame and kalonji seeds (if using). Slice the log into discs, roughly 5mm thick, and arrange on the baking sheets, spacing the biscuits well apart.
4. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Once completely cold, the sablés can be packaged.
Recipe, Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion by Annie Rigg (£16.99, Kyle Cathie).
