Wednesday Baking | Cheddar Twists

Today’s recipe is a recent find from the newer of my two Fleischmann’s Yeast cookbooks…I’ve made it twice now, and both times, my family has delightedly eaten almost the whole batch. So, I thought it would only be fair to share the recipe with you. These are pretty similar to the braided cheese bread recipe I posted here a while back, but they’re a nice individual size.

Start by grating 1.5 cups (6 ounces) of cheddar cheese. You can use sharp or mild, depending on your preferences, or you could even substitute another kind of similarly-textured cheese (Swiss, Monterey Jack, etc.).

Heat 1.5 cups of milk to 120 degrees.

In a mixer bowl, combine sugar, yeast, salt, and 2 cups flour.

Add warm liquid ingredients, and beat for 2-3 minutes.

Add grated cheese and enough flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured counter.

Knead for 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for an hour. On this particular day, I put the dough in the fridge, took my kids to the park for a few hours, and then came back to finish the recipe.

When the dough has risen, punch it down, and divide it into 18 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-10 inch rope. Fold rope in half, and twist 2-3 times.

Place on a greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise 20-30 minutes, or until doubled.

Here’s what they look like before rising…

And these ones are done rising. When the twists have doubled, brush with a beaten egg. This gives the twists a lovely sheen.

If you want, you can sprinkle the twists with a little bit of grated Parmesan cheese. This is completely optional, though, and is mostly for looks.

Bake the twists in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

These are at their best warm, I think, though leftover cheese twists are still very edible. 😉

Printable Cheddar Twists Recipe
Cheddar Twists-makes 18

3-3.5 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1.5 teaspoons salt
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 egg, lightly beaten

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt. Heat milk to 120 degrees, and add to dry mixture. Beat for 3 minutes. Stir in shredded cheese and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in bowl, cover with a wet tea towel, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.

Punch dough down, divide into 18 pieces, and roll each piece into a 8-10 inch rope. Fold each rope in half, and twist 2-3 times. Place twists on a greased baking sheet, cover with a wet tea towel, and let rise 20-30 minutes, or until doubled.

Brush twists with beaten egg, and if desired, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake twists 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.