Parmesan Thyme Twists

A few years ago I blogged about turning homemade puff pastry dough scraps into cinnamon sugar twists, and included a cheese variation as an afterthought.  This time the cheese version gets the spotlight.  I chose parmesan and thyme here, but try different cheese and herb variations.  Or use multiple cheeses and herbs, or throw in some cayenne for a kick.  The recipe is very adaptable.

Before you possibly panic about the difficulties or fussiness of making puff pastry, I'm going to add that these are made from the storebought variety!  I find making it from scratch time-consuming and messy, but the recipe I used back then is here with step-by-step photos if you want it.

And as a bonus, I'll also throw in the Cinnamon-Sugar Twists recipe, updated with a tad more sugar because in retrospect the original wasn't sweet enough.  According to my stats, the original post has been a sleeper hit, which was a surprise to me.

Parmesan Thyme Twists: The puff pastry is brushed with egg, then sprinkled with cheese and herbs.  The dough is folded over and lightly rolled to seal the edges, then strips are cut with a pastry wheel and twisted before baking.

These are also really easy to throw together for a quick party snack.  Joe loved both varieties, though parmesan isn't my favorite cheese.  But we both enjoyed the cinnamon sugar twists.



Parmesan Thyme Twists
1 sheet storebought frozen puff pastry dough, thawed according to directions
1 ounce Parmesan, shredded
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 egg

Flour your work surface and unfold the dough onto it, then dust the top with a little more flour.  Lightly roll the dough a few times.  Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water, then brush over the entire surface of the dough.  Sprinkle the Parmesan and thyme evenly over the surface of the dough.

Fold the dough in half to encase the filling, then lightly reroll a few more times to seal the edges.

Using a pastry wheel, pizza wheel, or knife, cut strips of dough about ½-inch wide.  Holding the ends of each strip, twist it, then place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.  If the strips start to unfurl, press the ends lightly into the baking mat.  Place in the refrigerator to chill while you preheat the oven.

Preheat oven to 375°.  Bake the twists for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cinnamon Sugar Twists: The dough is also folded in half and lightly rerolled here, though it is not filled.  This step smooths out the seams in storebought dough that could lead to breakage later.  The cinnamon sugar is sprinkled over the top, cut into strips, and twisted.

Cinnamon Sugar Twists
1 sheet storebought frozen puff pastry dough, thawed according to directions
4 tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg

Flour your work surface and unfold the dough onto it.  Beat the egg with 1 tbs water.  Lightly brush the egg onto the surface, then fold the dough in half.  Lightly reroll a few times to seal the edges.

Brush the new surface with the egg.  Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, them sprinkle evenly over the surface of the dough.

Using a pastry wheel, pizza wheel, or knife, cut strips of dough about ½-inch wide. Holding the ends of each strip, twist it, then place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. If the strips start to unfurl, press the ends lightly into the baking mat. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you preheat the oven.

Preheat oven to 375°. Bake the twists for 20 minutes, until golden brown.