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Monday, March 4, 2013

Homemade Cheese Its

 My love language is food. Sharing dinner with good friends, setting the table, making snacks and delicious treats are how I express that I care for people. If I make you food, you're in. 

Now obviously I love my husband. But the fact that I made him these home made cheese its really proves that fact. Why? Confession time, I don't like Cheez Its. They just don't taste that delicious to me. But if you're going to eat some, these are the ones to eat. Five ingredients and no weird preservatives.
Just take a look at that cheese. It gets mixed with some butter, flour, water and salt. That's it. Boom.
After you mix all the ingredients, you get this lovely ball of dough. Which gets tossed back into the fridge to let the butter and ingredients get all cold again so it can bake...better. There's science behind it, I just can't explain it.
The making of the squares is not an exact science but it's fun. Make these and share them. Or give them away if you don't like them either.
Homemade Cheese Its
adapted from BHG
Ingredients
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup all purpose flour flour
  • 2-3 tbsp ice water
To Make

1) Shred the cheddar cheese. Put the paddle attachment with your electric mixer (or hand mixer for the first part). Mix the cheese, butter and salt until well combined. Next slowly add the flour until the dough is pebbly. Finally add ice water until a ball is formed.

2) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for an hour. 

3) Preheat the oven to 375. Using a mixer flatten the dough into a really thin sheet, about 1/4"thick. Cut dough into small squares. I used a pizza cutter but you can also use a fluted pastry cutter, if you're fancy.

4) Places squares on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper if you have some. Bake about 15 minutes until puffed and a little brown. Let cool on a rack as soon as they come out of the oven. 

These are best enjoyed while fresh! Enjoy.


1 comment:

Rebekah said...

What do you use to poke the holes? I've found a chopstick works best. Also, you roll yours thicker than I do, but maybe it's because I stretch more crackers out if I can.

As for the science, butter is milk fat and water. European or european-style butter has a slightly higher fat-to-water ratio, which is why it's more expensive. You want the butter to be cold when it goes into the oven, or as cold as possible, because when the heat hits the cold water, it turns into steam, which, as you might know, rises and will create little air pockets in your food. The fat melts and disperses. For a super clear example, think about croissants.

Ta-da! Also, if that's not clear or seems fishy (which it might be. I can be wrong at times) then just ask Alton Brown.