Cheesy Bacon Twists Recipes

BACON AND CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Lightly grease a large baking tray with a little oil or line with greaseproof paper.
• Lay out the ready rolled pastry on a floured surface, sprinkle the cheese all over the pastry and fold in half.
• Roll out the pastry to roughly 25 x 40cm (10 x 16 inches). It should be wide enough to place 8 rashers of bacon side-by-side and just a little longer than 1 rasher of bacon in the other direction (see picture above).
• Spread the pastry with the mustard and then lay out the bacon so the bacon is just touching but not overlapping.
• Cut down between the bacon, so you have 8 strips, then twist each strip several times and place on the prepared baking tray.
• Chill the twists for a minimum of 20 minutes in the fridge.
• Just before you plan on cooking the cheese straws, heat your oven to 220C / 200C / gas mark 7 / 425F.
• Remove the cheese straws from the fridge and brush with the beaten egg.
• Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until golden on top and cooked all the way through.
• Eat as soon as they are cool enough to hold.
• Store any uneaten cheese straws in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat for 10 minutes at 220C / 200C / gas mark 7 / 425F or until piping hot all the way through.

BACON-CHEDDAR TWISTS WITH SOFT-COOKED EGGS

Steps:

• For the twists: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the eggs, mustard and a splash of water until smooth; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle with the shorter side facing you. Spread the cheese over the top half of the dough, then fold the bottom half over the cheese half and roll lightly to seal. Cut the dough vertically into 12 even strips; each strip will be slightly thinner than 1 inch.
• Place a bacon strip on each pastry strip and twist the pastry and bacon together. Place the twists on the prepared baking sheet, pressing down the ends. Brush the tops with some of the egg wash and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds or poppy seeds (or both).
• Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the bacon is crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes before removing.
• For the eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat; there should be enough water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch. Using tongs, gently place eggs in the water and boil for 5 1/2 minutes for soft-cooked eggs; the whites will be set, but the yolks will be very runny.
• Transfer the saucepan to the sink, pour off most of the water, and then run under cold water for 30 seconds. Set the soft-boiled eggs in egg cups; use an egg topper to slice off the tops of the shells, or tap around the shells with a small spoon to break and peel off. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and serve with the twists for dipping in the yolks.

SWEET AND SAVORY CHEESY BACON WRAPPED PUFF PASTRY TWISTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly rub each rack with olive oil. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine the brown sugar, rosemary, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 3. Place both sheets of pastry on a lightly floured counter. Brush the surface of each with a beaten egg. Evenly sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over each sheet, then sprinkle with cayenne. Dust a rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the rolling pin over the cheese, gently pressing the cheese into the pastry. Fold the pastry in half, then cut each into 12 (1/2 inch) wide strips. Pinch the ends to seal, then gently twist each strip several times to enclose the cheese. It's ok if some of the cheese falls out. 4. Take a piece of bacon and wrap it around the twisted pastry. Repeat with the remaining twists. Dredge the twist through the brown sugar mix, tossing to coat, placing the twist on the prepared baking sheet as you go. 5. Bake 30 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. My bacon took 50 minutes to cook, start checking the twists at around 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature...though I love them warm!