Baked Cheese and Olive Puffs

By ivybliss

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 48 pimento-stuffed green olives

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Beat together the cheese and butter. Stir in the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika and dry mustard powder, blending well. Note: It is easier to mix in the dry ingredients with your hands.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Cut each rope of dough into 12 pieces. Roll a piece of dough into a ball and flatten slightly in the palm of your hand. Place an olive in the center of the flattened ball and wrap the dough around the olive. Roll the pastry covered olive in your hand so that the olive is completely encased in the dough. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough and olives.
Place the pastry covered olives on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about one inch space between each them. Bake for 15 minutes or until just lightly brown and firm to the touch. Remove the baked cheese and olive puffs from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.