Herbed Cheddar Canes

Instructions

• Cut puff pastry in half. Lightly dust counter with flour. Roll each pastry half into a rectangle slightly bigger than 9 x 13 in (22.5 x 32.5 cm).

• Whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water. Lightly brush one rectangle with mixture, then sprinkle with cheese, oregano and basil. Sprinkle with pepper.

• Lightly brush remaining rectangle with egg mixture. Place egg side down over cheese-topped pastry. Gently roll over the top with a rolling pin to seal. Trim edges to straighten.

• Using a pizza cutter, cut into lengthwise strips about 1⁄3 in (7 mm) wide. Working with one strip at a time, starting in the middle, twist and roll ends in opposite directions to form a tight rope. Place strips at least 1 in (2.5 cm) apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Shape into canes, pressing down ends to keep twists in place.

• Bake, in batches, in preheated 400°F (200°C) oven until golden and puffy, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature the same day they're baked.To make ahead: Prepare canes but don't bake. Freeze, in a single layer, until firm. Portion and pack in containers. To bake from frozen, simply increase baking time by a few minutes.

• Makes 25 canes.

• In 1 cane: 108 calories, 2 g protein, 8 g fat, 7 g carbs, 37 mg calcium