Recipe corner: Spiced blue cheese biscuits

Well, posting every day didn't work out so well but at least I've managed more posts in September than in August.  I will mutter something vague about progress and leave it at that.

I would have put up a meal planning post on Monday, but that fell by the wayside slightly because poor old D was under the weather.  He spent most of Sunday on his sickbed, looking impressively pale, occasionally rousing himself to make...um, emphatic deposits in the bathroom bin.

It should be added that, when not (insert appropriate euphemism here), he was far more stoic than I was about the whole thing.  Bad enough that I am a hopeless, needy invalid but it turns out that I'm also not much cop as a nurse!  Sigh.  Anyway, he seems fine now but we have been playing food by ear while his system (ridden with bugs) and my system (ridden with vomit-related anxiety) settle down.

Anyway, enough of bodily functions - let's talk canapes.  Because, you know, we are coming in to that season when the more sociable among us might be having parties - of the cocktail or dinner variety - and every good party thrower needs a couple of good canape recipes up their glittery sleeves.  My absolute go-to are gougeres, which recipe I shared here (and commend to your attention again).  But these, which I only baked up in an attempt to make some use of a rather decrepit piece of blue cheese, are really rather good indeed.  The dough, once made and formed into a cling filmed sausage, can be kept in the fridge for a day or too or even frozen.  I imagine that baking from frozen would work perfectly well, just add a couple of minutes onto the cooking time and apply common sense and vigilance.

The number of biscuits derived from this mix will obviously vary depending on how thinly you slice them - I got sixteen in total.

Ingredients

90g butter
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
pinch of salt
1 egg
50 ml milk (I used skimmed to no obvious detriment)
100g blue cheese, grated

Have a large square of cling film ready to hand for when the mixture is made.

Lightly beat together the egg and the milk.

Now, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles (you've heard it before) breadcrumbs.  Or damp sand.  Mix through he baking powder, the cayenne and the salt until well combined.  Then add the cheese and again, mix well.

Now you want to add just enough of the egg and milk mix to bring the dough together.  Add a bit at  time and use your hands to mix it through.  As soon as the mixture begins to form a ball, cease and desist.  You will likely use about half - two thirds of the liquid.

Transfer the dough onto the sheet of cling film and, as if it were play dough or damp sand, roughly form it into a log shape.  Bring the cling film up and around and twist the ends, so that you have a sausage of dough.  Place in the fridge to firm up for at least half an hour.

If you're intending to make straightaway, preheat the oven to 170 and line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper.

Remove the dough-sausage and, using a sharp knife, cut into thin slices, placing each slice on the lined tray.  If you have the inclination, brush the top of the biscuits with the remainder of the egg and milk mix.

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.  Allow to briefly cool on a rack before serving (they are at their best a few minutes after they come out of the oven when they are warm and almost melting but not likely to take the roof off your mouth).