Marmite Cheese Straws
Celebrations like Christmas can be such a minefield for those of us trying to keep our families eating low sugar most of the time. While there is no problem with occasional treats, there is no time of year where we spend quite so much time in one go saying “go on then” to yet another daily “treat” in the spirit of celebration!
And with sugar even showing up in large quantities in starters crammed with cranberry sauce and mains lovingly glazed in layers of syrup, one Christmas meal can easily provide more than 2 days’ worth of sugar in one go.
I was particularly horrified to find the other day, in a publication I deeply respect and have adored for many many years now, a section for “Festive Family Baking” in their Christmas issue that was aimed at getting kids in the kitchen that had only three of six recipes that contained less than a 4-11 year old’s daily recommended intake of sugar per serving (only one of which was savoury) and one of those contained a whopping 84g of sugar per serving. To put that into perspective, that is an adult’s recommended daily intake of free sugars 3 and a half times over, and a 4-11 year old’s RDI 7 times over! That is one week’s worth of sugar for a child in one helping of cake. I’m trying not to picture that poor child’s liver… or that poor child’s parents having to deal with the hyperactivity!
If that recipe had contained the equivalent amount of salt, it would have had 21-35g of salt. Not only would that have made something taste so disgusting that no one would have touched it, it would also have caused outrage. Who would let children bake something with 30g of salt per serve?! Even calling it a “treat” would not be well received.
I was so saddened by the sugar-ladenness (can we pretend that’s a word?) of the family baking recipes, I decided to enlist my two-year-old’s help to show that festive family baking doesn’t have to be synonymous with a sugar overload or making only cakes and biscuits. I wanted to prove that kids can get just as excited about baking and eating something savoury together.
My son was overjoyed at the idea of making these cheese straws, was able to help with most steps successfully, and thoroughly enjoyed taking part in eating them. While I wouldn’t exactly call them a health food, they don’t contain any sugar (and only a couple of grams of salt), and you can always make them a little more virtuous by swapping all or some of the white flour for wholemeal if you like.
If you are looking for a more “candy cane” like Christmassy look (or if your children don’t like Marmite), try swapping the Marmite for some red pesto or tomato puree spread on the straws before baking. Or keep them plain cheese straws by leaving out the Marmite step if you want!
So when your kids want to take part in some family baking this holiday, why not try making something more-ish, crunchy and delicious that everyone will enjoy without consuming a week’s worth of sugar in one sitting by making these pretty little snacks (or appetisers) for all.
They also make a fantastic addition to a low sugar party a la Party Survival Course style!
A delicious, crispy, (very) more-ish treat that is easy and fun to make as a family so you have a festive family baking recipe that doesn't contain more sugar than a child should have in a week! Perfect for parties as well as snack times.
- 110 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g (1 cup) plain (all purpose) flour
- 25 g (1/4 cup) freshly grated Parmesan (or use a hard cheese like Cheddar)
- decent pinch of salt
- 1 medium egg yolk
- Marmite, for spreading
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Place all the ingredients except the Marmite in a food processor and pulse gently until it just starts to combine, then use your hands to bring together as a dough. Alternatively, rub butter into the flour using your hands and then add the rest of the ingredients and use your hands or a wooden spoon to bring together to form a dough. Use a little cold water if needed to bring together. Wrap in cling film and leave in the freezer for 5 mins (or fridge for 20 mins).
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Roll the dough out on a floured surface into as thin a rectangle as you can (around 2-3mm thick). Cut the rectangle into thin strips (about 2-3cm thick) and separate. Spread the top of each straw with a thin layer of Marmite, then twist and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15 mins or until golden and crispy. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
