Gilded Cage breadsticks cheese (Printable)

Delicate breadsticks encase a selection of fine cheeses for an impressive centerpiece.

# Ingredient List:

→ Breadsticks

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 2/3 cup lukewarm water
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 egg yolk (for glaze)
08 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

→ Cheese Selection

09 - 3.5 oz triple-cream Brie, cut into cubes
10 - 3.5 oz aged Comté, cut into cubes
11 - 2.8 oz truffled goat cheese, shaped into small balls
12 - 2.8 oz blue cheese (e.g., Roquefort), crumbled
13 - 1.75 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved

→ Accompaniments (optional)

14 - 1 small bunch seedless red grapes
15 - 2 tablespoons honey or fig jam
16 - Fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary), for garnish

# How to Make:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in lukewarm water and olive oil until a dough forms, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
02 - Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
03 - Set oven to 390°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
04 - Divide dough into 18 to 20 portions. Roll each piece into thin sticks approximately 1/8 inch thick and 10 inches long.
05 - Arrange breadsticks on the baking tray, brush lightly with egg yolk, and sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.
06 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Let cool completely.
07 - Place the cheese selection in a mound at the center of a serving platter. Add grapes, honey or jam, and garnish with fresh herbs if using.
08 - Carefully build a dome over the cheese mound by arranging breadsticks in an arching structure, using the cheese and breadsticks as support. For added stability, press breadsticks gently into the cheese or use a small bowl as a mold, removing it once assembled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but tastes even better than it appears, with no pretension hiding behind the presentation.
  • The breadsticks are still warm and crisp when you break them free, and the cheese selection feels curated just for you.
02 -
  • Breadsticks must cool completely or they'll wilt when you touch them—warm sticks are limp sticks, and your dome will collapse.
  • The firmness of your cheese matters enormously; too soft and nothing stays in place, but room-temperature cheese is more forgiving than cold cheese straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • Cold cheese won't hold the breadsticks; set everything out 20 minutes before assembly so it's pliable and forgiving.
  • If a breadstick cracks while you're building, use it anyway—a small break is invisible once everything is in place, and no one will ever know.
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