Dainty cheese straws recipe

These thin cheese straws are perfect for those who want a light canape to serve your guests, rather than a larger cheese straw.

This cheese straw recipe produces a smaller version of the original and is a tasty update of an old favourite from Woman's Weekly's April 1912 feature titled 'cheese dishes for menfolk' - although of course this time we would prefer they are for everyone!

Perfect for little children who only want to eat a small portion of everything.

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• Good pinch of salt
• 90g (3oz) butter, diced
• 90g (3oz) mature Cheddar, or Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 2 baking trays, lined with non-stick paper

If you want to make simple cheese straws then use our main recipe (opens in new tab)

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Method

1. Set the oven to Gas Mark 6 or 200°C. Sift the flour, mustard and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter, and then stir in the cheese. (Or put everything in the food processor.)
2. Mix to a fairly firm dough with the egg yolk and 4 tsps water. Knead to a round on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 5mm (¼in) thick. Cut into straws about 15cm (6in) long. Lay them on baking trays. Re-roll the trimmings and make some more straws.
3. Bake for 12-15 mins until light golden. Leave on the tray to firm, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Serve with a dip made with crème fraîche and smoked paprika, if you like. They will store in an airtight tin for a few days.