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Produced by Colleen Nicholson, Photography by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.
The classic Spanish pairing of membrillo and manchego cheese makes for a fun new take on cheese straws. These can be made ahead and baked from frozen—just add a few minutes to the baking time.—Camilla Wynne
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp 35% cream
1 pre-rolled butter puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 cup finely grated manchego cheese
1/3 cup finely diced membrillo
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk egg yolk with cream in a small bowl.
Unroll puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, then roll out into an 11-in. square with a rolling pin. Brush with egg mixture, then sprinkle evenly with manchego, pressing gently so it sticks. Scatter membrillo over half of pastry. Season with pepper. Fold other half of pastry over filling, pressing to seal.
Trim edges straight with a sharp knife. Cut into twenty 1⁄2-in. strips crosswise. Holding each end of a strip, twist in opposite directions to make a tight spiral. Arrange on prepared sheets, 1 in. apart. Refrigerate until firm, 30 to 60 min.
Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 350F.
Bake until twists are golden brown, 18 to 22 min. Cool completely before serving. Twists will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days but are best eaten on the day they are baked.
Membrillo is a sweet paste made from quince, a fragrant fall fruit that turns a gorgeous deep pink when cooked. It can be found at Portuguese grocers, well-stocked grocery stores and gourmet food shops.
Camilla Wynne is a Toronto-based cookbook author, writer and recipe developer. Her most recent cookbook is Nature's Candy.