Churchill’s finest fare: Biscuits au fromage
Winston Churchill loved his food, and here, from this hearty beef fillet tournedos to a tempting clafoutis, are some of the dishes – as prepared by his chef Georgina Landemare – that fuelled his struggle against the Nazis.
Delicious! These biscuits make a lovely snack to pair with some cheese and grapes
Makes approx 16 biscuits
- 175g (6oz) plain flour
- 140g (5oz) butter
- 70g (2½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 70g (2½oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
- Salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
- Grapes and cheese, such as Stilton, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and line a baking tray with parchment. Rub the butter into the flour and add the grated cheeses, salt and cayenne pepper.
Mix into a paste with the egg yolk until you have a soft dough texture. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes using a cutter (we used 5cm letter ‘V’ cutters).
Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking tray. Brush each of the biscuits with beaten egg, prick with a fork and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Serve with cheese and grapes.
Recipes adapted from Churchill’s Cookbook by Georgina Landemare, published by Imperial War Museums, priced £12.99, with additional photography by Will Heap. www.iwm.org.uk.