twinkle twinkle

Some nights are sure to sparkle and last weekend my husband and I were fortunate to be included in such an evening. Our host and hostess had coolers of oysters shipped in and as these pearly beauties lay open in their newly shucked half shells flights of champagne were passed in a myriad of flutes. A truly special time where the company rivaled the amazing spread.

When pondering what to bring to such a fete- I thought a savory, slightly salty cheese cracker, freshly baked, might just do the trick. Here’s my recipe for cheese stars. One more bright light for a beautifully festive table.

In a food processor pulse the flour, salt, cayenne and paprika until just combined.

Add the cheese and butter.

Process until the dough becomes smooth and has the texture of play-doh, this will take a couple minutes.

Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

Place the dough in the cylinder of a cookie press fitted with a star disk. Press stars evenly spaced on a heavy baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks- though I doubt they’ll last that long.