Chef Chris Larson is one of our main cheese makers. He found this recipe for “Cheese Pennies” on the King Arthur Flour website and substituted a combination of Bloomsday and Dairyere Reserve. Chris also used mini cookie cutters to shape his crisps into candy canes, stars, and Christmas trees. You can use your imagination to take them any direction you’d like (as long as you keep them small).
Ingredients
2 cups grated cheese, 1 cup each (1/4 - 1/3 lb) of Bloomsday and Dairyere Reserve
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
paprika (optional)
Directions
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the paprika to make a cohesive dough, sprinkling in a tablespoon or so of water if the dough doesn't seem to want to come together.
As soon as the dough starts to come together, turn off the mixer and gather it into a rough ball.
Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a 16" log about 1 1/2" in diameter.
Wrap the log in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, slice the log crosswise into 1/8" rounds. Place them on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving only about 1/2" between them; they won't spread much as they bake. Sprinkle them with a bit of paprika, if desired.
Bake the cheese pennies in a preheated 400°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until they're just beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely.
Store, well-wrapped, for up a week.
Tips from the King Arthur bakers
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper is discernible, while 1/4 teaspoon packs a moderate punch. Use more if you want a truly eye-watering experience.
If you want to freeze the dough for a longer amount of time, just make sure to remove it from the freezer about 30 minutes before you want to slice it