Cheese Buds

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour (all-purpose flour can be substituted)
• 1 cup grated extra Sharp White Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 egg white, whisked with 1 teaspoon cold water
• sprinkle of smoked paprika
• 40 pecan halves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add flour, cheese, butter chunks, salt, and cayenne pepper to a food processor. Turn food processor on and allow to process until ingredients form into a ball, about 1 minute.

Remove dough from food processor, wrap with plastic wrap and press into a flat round. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Dust counter top with flour and roll out dough until its 1/4 inch thick, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (you want your cheese buds to be bite-sized), cut out rounds and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Place a pecan on top of rounds, and, using a pastry brush, lightly paint each cracker with egg wash, and sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until buds just start to brown around bottom edge. Check after 12 minutes.

Remove from oven, and immediately remove to a cooling rack. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for 1 month.

Note: Cheese buds can also be made plain without the pecan, or pecans can be chopped and sprinkled on after egg wash and smoked paprika.