Get festive with easy cheese twists for your holiday table
With many responsibilities on your plate, choosing something simple and quick like puff pastry sticks can save time. These sticks pair well with holiday salads.
How do you prepare cheese sticks twisted into fancy spirals? It's quite simple. You only need two sheets of puff pastry and some yellow cheese. The popular French diablotins can also be customized with other ingredients. They taste great warm, cold, and even the next day.
How to twist puff pastry sticks?
The process is straightforward. Start by cutting a sheet of puff pastry into strips. Then, grab the ends with your fingers and twist them like a screw. To achieve the desired effect, 3-4 twists are sufficient. Be careful not to twist too tightly, as this might tear the pastry or make it too thick, which could prevent it from baking properly in the oven.
Where does the name diablotins come from?
The name for this snack comes from the French word diablotin, which translates to imp or little devil. This might be because of its shape; the twisted cheese sticks have slightly pointed ends, resembling, perhaps, devil's tails. Some believe the name is linked to the spicy taste of the sticks, as the French often add spicy seasonings like chili pepper to them.
How to make puff pastry with cheese?
To make 24 cheese sticks, you'll need:
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (about 13 oz each),
- 1 egg,
- about 9 oz of yellow cheese, such as cheddar,
- optional ground hot pepper,
- a teaspoon of salt.
Instructions:
- Unroll the puff pastry on baking paper and brush with a beaten egg.
- Sprinkle with ground pepper and grated yellow cheese.
- Cover with the second sheet of pastry, press slightly, and then cut along the shorter side into 24 strips, each about 0.6 inches wide.
- Gently grab each strip by the ends and twist into a spiral by turning it 4 times.
- Brush the prepared sticks with the remaining egg and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
