Cheese

Cheesy Sticks aka The Bomb

by:
October 10, 2010
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes 8 cheesy sticks 8-10 inches long or cut that length in half to get 16 sticks 4-5 inches long. This recipe can easily be doubled.
Author Notes

Nicknamed “The Bomb” by those who have had them these Cheesy Sticks are perfect road trip, street walking and/or street fair munching type of food; excellent picnic or party fare served alongside the salads, and btw, we’ve found these to be an excellent trick of a treat for Halloween, as well.

I originally tasted a similar cheesy stick years ago at a tiny drive by neighborhood store. A few dozen were made per day, the customers were known to reserve orders and even drive out of their way to take a chance on buying what might be left!

The little store closed and needing my cheesy fix I was inspired to modify a favorite roll recipe; after testing my idea many times over I have found these to be a definite crowd pleaser however they are served.
lapadia

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Ingredients
  • 9 oz (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour – plus 1/4 cup for kneading
  • 1 packet rapid rise yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon diastatic malt powder (or sugar)
  • 3 ozs. warm water (6 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon safflower oil
  • 2 tablespoons egg substitute – plus 2-3 extra tablespoons to adhere cheese to the sticks
  • 1-1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella (whole milk is best for this recipe)
  • Note: or use a mixture of Mozzarella and Cheddar
  • 1/2 cup micro-plane grated Pecorino
  • 2-3 tablespoons egg substitute to help adhere cheese to the sticks
  • Buttery cooking spray
Directions
  1. THE DOUGH: In a work bowl with a dough hook, add bread flour, yeast, salt and malt powder, mix together. In a 2 cup measure with spout, add water, oil and the egg substitute. With the machine turned on, drizzle in the water mixture. Process until a ball forms and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes total. Cover and let dough rise until nearly double in size, about and hour.
  2. THE STICKS: Mix the cheeses together in a bowl – set aside.
  3. On a cookie sheet with a rim, pour 2-3 tablespoons egg substitute, add one cup of the cheese mixture and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  4. Punch the risen dough, knead into a ball, cover and let rest 10 minutes.
  5. On a floured surface, divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-10 inch long rope.
  6. Place the dough ropes onto the egg substitute/cheese mixture and coat.
  7. Transfer the sticks to a flat cookie sheet coated with buttery cooking spray. Coat the top of each piece with the remaining cheese, and gather it around the edges.
  8. Lightly spray the cheese sticks with butter spray, cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 45 minutes to an hour.
  9. Bake 11-to 12 minutes – or until golden.
  10. Take out of the oven and lightly spray each stick with butter spray again. Place on a cooling rack ASAP – before the cheese starts sticking to the pan.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

29 Reviews

QueenSashy June 15, 2013
It just cannot get better than this!
lapadia June 16, 2013
Thanks, QS!
lorigoldsby August 7, 2011
This sounds so good and so versatile! Not familiar with diastatic powder...what is it's purpose exactly?
lapadia August 7, 2011
Hi LG! These are addicting if you like bread and cheese. I like diastatic powder for its "hint" of flavor vs using a teaspoon of sugar, it also enhances the rise, texture and browning. I buy it from King Arthur and use it in all my yeast dough recipes:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/diastatic-malt-powder-16-oz
boulangere August 7, 2011
It's also available from home brew shops.
boulangere August 6, 2011
I remember these, and they are seriously the bomb!
lapadia August 7, 2011
Yes, Seriously !! Thanks, boulangere :)
BlueKaleRoad June 8, 2011
Will do, although I can already tell they would fly out the Pike Place Market! A welcome addition indeed.
lapadia August 6, 2011
:)
fiveandspice June 8, 2011
I thought these definitely looked like the bomb the first time I saw these, and I still think so now! Yum!!!
lapadia June 8, 2011
Thanks, let me know after you get a chance to try them! :)
BlueKaleRoad June 6, 2011
Oh my, I will definitely be trying these!
lapadia June 8, 2011
Great...would love to hear back after you do, and you can let me know what you think about my Pikes Place idea!!! :)
inpatskitchen June 5, 2011
Love cheesy bread!
lapadia June 5, 2011
Yes, I remember your Aioli Cheese Bread recipe..one that is on my list! :)
Pat E. November 29, 2010
I'd love to make these...can you use regular eggs? I have those.
lapadia November 29, 2010
Hi Pat, Yes, use regular egg, no problem. ¼ cup of egg substitute = 1 large egg, so I would lightly whisk an egg use a couple tablespoons for the sticks, and the rest to help adhere cheese to the sticks. PS – I usually make a double recipe (16 long sticks) using one real egg for the sticks and egg substitute to adhere the cheese. Have fun making them! Let me know how it goes!! Check this recipe out at my blog for some step by step pictures. http://lapadia.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/cheesy-sticks/
Sagegreen November 28, 2010
How nice to have a cheesy stick recipe. These look great!
lapadia November 28, 2010
Thanks, Sagegreen. I perfected this recipe almost 10 years ago, I hope you get a chance to try them sometime. I have a step by step (with photos) on my blog too.
betty B. November 28, 2010
Love these! You shared this recipe with me a while back, & this weekend, needing a change from leftover turkey, made Green Chile Stew. The Cheese Sticks were an excellent departure from tortillas. They truly are "The Bomb"!
lapadia November 28, 2010
Thanks, betty burner! Your Green Chile Stew sounds great, I will have to get that recipe...maybe post it!
TiggyBee October 10, 2010
I love this recipe!! Thanks for sharing lapadia!!
lapadia November 28, 2010
Thanks TiggyBee, I hope you get to try them sometime! (ps-sorry for the delayed reply)
TheWimpyVegetarian October 10, 2010
These look fabulous! I'm working on a ricotta bread with honey and apricots - and as soon as I've got it nailed down, I'm trying these. And Amanda's cinnamon bread!
lapadia October 10, 2010
Thanks ChezSuzanne! I hope you share that ricotta/honey/apricot bread after you have it nailed, and I look forward to your comment after trying this recipe! As far as Amanda's cinnamon bread, DELICIOUS, I just finished writing her a comment...check it out.
CRussell October 10, 2010
Yum, this looks fantastic! I am going to try these tonight! Thanks for sharing ~
lapadia October 10, 2010
Thanks, cauner! I would love to here how you liked them, btw, I have your apricot sage bread on my list of things to do in the kitchen!
luvcookbooks October 10, 2010
I love bought cheese sticks and have never found the right recipe, hope this is it. I love the headnote. It's cute and clever, just right for Halloween. You can use orange cheese and put it on a black plate, too!
lapadia October 10, 2010
Thanks & Ohhh, I LOVE your idea luvcookbooks! These are no comparison to the store bought..they are truly "the bomb".