Famous Kentucky Cheese Wafers

To balance the cool Benedictine Canapes, some hostesses would include the hot Famous Kentucky Cheese Wafers. This is another at least a century old treat that is still welcomed at Derby Breakfasts.

Famous Kentucky Cheese Wafers:

1-cup butter–no substitutes here–and cold
2 cups flour
½ pound sharp cheddar cheese
1 beaten egg
Paprika, poppy seeds, sesame seeds

For an even, rich orange color, the cheese needs to be grated very fine. If you have a electric mincer attachment for your mixer use it, or with a hand grater use the finest grade. A food processor generally does not work for this as it will turn the cheese into a pulp and you want tiny strands of cheese.

Mix the butter, flour, and cheese in a food processor, or with your hands until it just makes a dough. Don’t overwork, but make sure the cheese is well incorporated–which is why it needs to be so fine.

Roll out on floured board very thin, and cut with a small fancy cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush tops with the beaten egg. Sprinkle on poppy or sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, but watch as they burn easily. As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkle with paprika and salt if not using seeds.

Serve hot. This makes about 75 Wafers.

You can make the dough up in advance. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and let come to room temperature before cutting. Wafers reheat fairly well in a hot oven, and can be stored in a airtight container.