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CHEESE PASTRY TWISTS - For Easy Entertaining

Cheese pastry twists on a white rectangular plate on pale blue table with wine and whisky and glasses and dipps and party poppers.
Here’s my quick & simple recipe for making Cheese Pastry Twists, using shop-bought puff pastry. A perfect, quick bake, great for entertaining & sure to please your guests.
Caro @ Caroline's Easy Baking Lessons
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serving Size 16

Equipment

  • Baking/parchment paper
  • Rolling Pin (or large glass bottle)
  • Grater/Shredder
  • Knife
  • Chopping Board (optional)
  • Pastry Brush (I use artist style brushes)
  • 2 Baking Trays/Sheets
  • Timer

Ingredients

  • 375 grams Puff Pastry (13¼ oz, preferably ready-rolled & frozen kind)
  • 80 grams Extra/Mature Cheese, grated (2 ¾oz, ¾ Cup Extra/Sharp Cheddar, shredded)
  • 1 Egg (small - medium) (Medium - Large US size)
  • Sesame Seeds, Nigella Seeds. (optional)

Instructions

Prepare Oven & Baking Sheets/Trays

  • Begin by putting your oven on to pre-heat to: 180°c/160°c Fan Oven/350°c/Gas Mark 4.
  • Prepare your baking sheets/trays by lining with baking/parchment paper, and grease in position if they don't have a lip around them.

Prepare Cheese Pastry Twists

  • Break the egg in to a small bowl and add a splash of milk before whisking together. (You can use oil if you don't have milk).
  • If your frozen puff pastry came in a block, not ready-rolled, roll out to a rectangle about - 26cm x 38 cm (10 inches x 15 inches), between 2 sheets of baking/parchment paper. If ready-rolled, open out and leave on the paper it comes with. See Photo 1 above.
    SHeet of ready-rolled puff pastry on paper, with grated/shredded cheese on top of half of it - photo 2.
  • Next sprinkle the grated/shredded cheese on one half of the pastry. See Photo 2 above.
    2 photo collage of folded over cheese filled puff pastry dough and rolle dout a little - phoro 3.
  • Fold the pastry on top of the cheese side, fold over the ends and squeeze the ends together. Then roll out to a rectangle a little smaller than before - 21 x 33cm (8¼ x 12½"). See Photo 3 above.
    2 photo collage of pastry dough being cut into 16 strips - photo 4.
  • Cut the pastry block in half and then cut 8 strips in both halves. I like them to be the same size so marked off where to cut, so they would be even but this is not essential. The strips of pastry were about 2½ x 16½cm (1 x 6¼") in size. This will made 16 strips. See Photo 4 above.
    2 photo collage of brushing egg wash onto puff pastry strips then pressing on seeds - photo 5.
  • Take one strip of pastry and brush whisked egg on top, before sprinkling on sesame seeds and pressing in place. You can omit the seeds if you like, but still add the egg wash for colour and flavour. Lift the pastry over and repeat on the other side. See Photo 5 above.
    Close shot of a pastry strip twisted, with seeds on top, and ready to be baked - photo 6.
  • Place on top of the prepared baking sheet/tray and use two hands to twist the pastry. Repeat with the rest of the pastries, leaving a little space in-between each. See Photo 6 above & 7 below.
    Photo of 4 puff pastry strips of dough with seeds on top, spaced out on a baking tray ready to bake - photo 7.

Bake The Pastries

  • Place the prepared cheese pastry twist in the oven to bake for about 13-15 minutes till golden and crispy. Let them develop a good colour to them - this translates as flavour and also ensures no soggy bottoms! (If your oven has not come to temperature yet, place the prepared pasties in the fridge until ready and this will help reduce the amount of cheese escaping when baking).
    Photo of 5 cheese filled puff pastry twists with seeds on, just after baking - photo 8.
  • Once ready, leave on the baking sheet/tray for 5 minues, before transferring paper and all to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Storage & Uses

  • Eat once ready as they are or with a dip. **Top Tip - mix a little mustard with mayo, or a little curry powder with mayo and have yourself a quick and easy dip for your pastry twists!
    Cheese pastry twists up extra close on pale blue background.
  • Store in an airtight container - I prefer cake tins. Stored properly, they can last a few days. Left out, they will soften.
  • You can also freeze the uncooked pastry twists - quick freeze on a tray that will fit your freezer and then transfer to a tub, with the pastries layered and separated by baking/parchment paper. Let defrost at room temperature and bake once thawed but still a little cold. Bake as normal.
  • These are great as they are, or used to dip into hummus or any of your other favourite dips.

Notes

pastry twist after dipping and botong, showing the lovely laywrs of puff pastry texture above a table with dip.
Frozen shop-bought puff pastry better as less additives & preservatives.
Ready-rolled puff pastry easier.
If using thawed puff pastry, add a little flour if too moist.
Try with other hard cheeses or seeds.
Click for more pastry recipes.
Cheese pastry twists partially on a white platter, on pale blue table, dip, white snowflake decorations, wooden reindeer, green napkin and title of Great For Holiday Entertaining.
Click for more Christmas & New Year recipes.
Also, check out the Kids Baking page for more easy pastry ideas.
Or read my How To Increase A Recipe For A Bigger Tin article, for your holiday baking & entertaining.
Check out my CONVERSION OF UK & US COMMON BAKING INGREDIENTS article with a handy table.
Extra close shot of a table with pink napkins and crackery, alcohol bottles and glasses to the back and puff pastry swirls served.
Here's another quick and easy recipe using ready-made puff pastry.  Go to Quick Cream Cheese Pastry Swirls
Nutrition - I am not a professional nutritionist & all nutritional information is approximate and calculated with the above ingredients & recipe yield, via website MyfitnessPal.com.  It assumes 16 pieces were made and 1 serving is based on one cheese pastry twist.   Make less or more twists, and the nutritional values will change.
Nutrition Facts
CHEESE PASTRY TWISTS - For Easy Entertaining
Serving Size
 
1 serving
Amount per Serving
Calories
109
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
9
mg
3
%
Sodium
 
62
mg
3
%
Potassium
 
13
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
8
g
3
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.