Cheddar and Walnut Crackers with Sea Salt

Adapted from Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (Culinary Institute of America)

~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Yield: About 100 small crackers

4 oz/113 g butter

8 oz/227 g aged Cheddar cheese, grated

6 oz/170 g all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp/3 g salt

1/4 tsp/1.5 g cayenne pepper (optional)

2 oz/57 g finely chopped walnuts

Sea salt for sprinkling over crackers

My note:  The original recipes calls for 1 teaspoon of salt added to the cracker dough.  I reduced that by half because I wanted to sprinkle a little sea salt on the cracker discs just before baking.

Cream the butter; add cheese and mix well. Add the flour and salt and mix well. Blend in the nuts.

Roll out into 3 logs, about 1 1/2 in/4 cm in diameter. Chill at least 1 hour.

Cut into slices 1/8 in/3 mm thick and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Bake at 350°F/175°C for about 8 to 10 minutes until crisp. (In my oven they needed a longer baking time - about 10-12 minutes)

Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Serve within 3 days.

Variation: Blue Cheese and Pecan Crackers: Substitute an equal amount of blue cheese for the Cheddar and pecans for the walnuts.