Puff pastry pockets filled with a cheesy mornay sauce.

Allumettes au Fromage is a cheese pastry snack that is eaten during pre-dinner drinks in France. It’s easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 roll of store bought pre made butter puff pastry

• 20 g (0.7 oz) butter

• 20 g (0.7 oz) flour

• 200 ml (6.7 fl oz) whole milk

• 40 g (1.4 oz) grated cheese (hard cheese is best) plus additional cheese to make 1 or 2 thin slices for each allumette

• 1 egg yolk

• Seasoning: pepper, nutmeg, cayenne pepper

Egg Wash: 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water (otherwise just use milk)

Cooking Time: Bake in the oven at 200C (392 F) for 25 minutes

PROCEDURE

1. Cut the pastry sheets into rectangles of say 6cm (2 ½ inches) x 12 cm (4 ½ inches) minimum and keep cold in the refrigerator whilst preparing the sauce.

2. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and once melted whisk in all of the flour on a low heat and cook the mixture for 3 minutes.

3. Turn the heat off and gradually whisk in the milk and when all is in, raise the heat to medium and keep whisking until the mixture thickens.

4. Discard the whisk and using a wooden spoon gradually stir in the grated cheese. This may be done on a medium to maximum heat.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the egg yolk.

6. Taste the sauce and then add seasonings to taste (using cayenne pepper, grated nutmeg and pepper).

7. Reserve the sauce in a clean container to cool down so it can be placed into a piping bag.

8. Remove the pastry rectangles from the refrigerator and using your finger paint the 4 edges of half of the rectangles with water.

9. Pipe the sauce into the dry part of each of those rectangles and place one or two of the strips of cheese on top.

10. Place one of the remaining pastry rectangles on top of each of the prepared rectangles so that it falls onto the wet part of the pastry underneath, and then return the rectangles to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

11. Using a pastry scraper and cutter trim a thin offcut from the sides of each rectangle and create a vent in the top of each with a pointed knife.

12. Brush each top with an eggwash, or, if preferred, milk, and little shapes of cheese can then be placed on top if desired.

13. Place into an oven preheated to 230 °C (446 °F), reducing the setting to 200 °C (392 °F) when you do so.

14. Cook on the middle rack for 25 minutes.

15. Serve as snacks with aperitifs.