Recipe: Gruyere cheese crackers are an irresistible snack

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May 31

Cheese-spiked munchies are such a luscious treat. These Gruyere cheese crackers fall into that irresistible category. Gruyere, a hard Swiss cheese with alluring nuttiness, teams up with whole-grain mustard and caraway seeds to give these cracker coins a French flair. Using the food processor helps to quickly turn out dough that yields tenderness.

Out of the processor, the dough is rolled into logs and chilled until firm; then the logs are thinly sliced crosswise. They bake up crisp and lightly golden.

I like to serve them with sliced fruit, such as apples or stone fruit. They are also delicious served with baked Brie.

Gruyere, Mustard, and Caraway Cheese Coins

Yield: 10 to 12 servings, about 80 coins

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces Gruyere, shredded (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 8 pieces

1/4 cup whole-grain mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Process Gruyere, flour, cornstarch, caraway, salt, cayenne, and paprika in food processor until combined, about 30 seconds. Scatter chilled butter pieces, over top and process until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add mustard and process until dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds. Transfer dough to counter and divide in half. Roll each half into a 10-inch log, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, a least 1 hour.

2. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap logs and slice into 1/4-inch-thick coins, giving dough a quarter turn after each slice to keep log round. Place coins on prepared sheets, spaced 1/2 inch apart.

3. Bake until light golden around edges, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let coins cool completely on sheets before serving.

Source: "America's Test Kitchen's Modern Bistro" (America's Test Kitchen)

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including "50 Best Plants on the Planet." Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.