These little rich cheesy biscuits with their kick of red chilli are perfect for autumnal comfort snacking. I enjoyed them dipped in a home made cauliflower soup but they would also be a great accompaniment to a nice real ale or a cocktail. Here's how to make them.
You will need:
200g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
150g extra mature Cheddar cheese, grate
1 whole medium free-range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
NB The mixture is very dense so these little babies are best made in a food processor.
Put the flour, salt, chilli flakes and cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until just combined.
Add the diced butter and run the machine until the ingredients look like coarse sand.
Add the whole egg and the yolk and run the processor again until the ingredients come together to form a firm dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a log shape with your hands. Bang the roll down on the work surface a few times to expel any air pockets that may have formed. With your hands, roll the dough until it forms an even cylinder roughly 50cm long. Cut into 3 equal pieces, then wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. (The dough can be stored for up to 3 days).
When ready to bake, heat your oven to 200c.
Cut the dough into 1cm thick discs and place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
And proceed to devour.
