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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Australian Busters



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Saturday is the day I set aside to market and visit the farms that provide our fruits and vegetables. This afternoon we added an additional, though pleasant, stop to our usual itinerary. Detering Orchard was having its annual harvest extravaganza. We never miss it. The immediate world is invited to the Detering's party and everything from food to hayrides and face painting is free. I wrote about the event last year and if you'd like to know more about this wonderful man you'll find part of his story here. Bob and I, of course, overate, so to remedy the afternoon's caloric excesses we decided to have a light supper. I pulled out a couple of old recipes and decided to go with a roasted tomato soup, a salad and a real treat call Australian Busters. Busters are savory biscuits or crackers that were given this unusual name because when eaten without caution they become belt busters. They are made from a cheesy dough that is very much like the dough used to make a pie. The dough is rolled and cut and baked in much the same way. They are really simple to do, very fattening and absolutely delicious with any non-creamy soup. I like to serve them as soon as they come from the oven, but they will keep in an airtight container for several days. As with most simple recipes, it's important to use the best ingredients you can get your hands on. I made these with European butter and an aged Oregon Cheddar cheese. The busters are also delicious when made with a shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese. Herbs can also be added. I've had this recipe for a very long time. It originally appeared in the New York Times. If you are looking for a simple something to serve at your next souper supper, I hope you'll give these a try. Here's the recipe.

Australian Busters...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter, cut in 1/4-inch dice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, loosely packed
6 to 7 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set a side.
2) Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter. Rub butter into flour with tips of fingers until particles are very small. Still using your fingers, mix in the cheese. Stir in water and cayenne pepper with a fork. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch rounds and place on baking sheet. Collect and re-roll scraps as required. Prick each biscuit 10 times with tines of a sharp fork.
3) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool. Yield: 16 biscuits.

41 comments:

  1. I love cheese crackers but have never made them from scratch. These look so do-able to me that I must make these. Oh my gosh, I have an idea that once I started I would not be able to stop. Where are my stretch pants LOL

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  2. Oh my word, this supper sounds wonderful. The way you describe things is mouthwatering.

    Enjoy your day!
    Leann

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  3. Your Aussie busters sound just the thing to enjoy with a bowl of soup for lunch or supper.
    Thanks for sharing your recipe.
    a bientot
    Maggie

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  4. Wow... do those ever look amazing. I'll be careful not to show my hubby... he'd gobble them right up.

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  5. Looks yummy, are they like cheese scones?

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  6. Hello,

    These look delicious!
    Is there a ton of cheddar cheese on them? I hope so! :O)


    ~ Gabriela ~

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  7. "Busters" - I love that!
    They do look like the perfect accompaniment to tomato soup. Yum!

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  8. These sound awesome...love the cheese as always!

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  9. Oh I love this! Your DH is so lucky to have a cook like you. Does he know it? :) I make a very similar cracker only I add crushed up rice chex to the dough for a bit more crunch. I serve it with brunswick stew in the fall for one of our very favorite cool weather meals. Always a treat to visit your blog.

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  10. What a terrific cracker biscuit! With the cheddar cheese in them, I bet they would be great with a sliver of Virginia baked ham. I am definitely going to try your recipe.

    Many thanks…

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  11. Mary, Thank you so much for visiting! These busters look SO DELICIOUS! They're making me very hungry...I'll be right over! (These look similar to the ones we get at Red Lobster which are very yummy!) You have a beautiful family! Loved all the pictures and am so glad you shared them! I've signed on to follow!

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  12. I make a similar recipe at Christmas. Tiny little cheesy coins. When they are cut small the calories no longer fit into the cracker so you are safe.

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  13. just wow! love all that cheese :)

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  14. Lori, you really made me smile. Thanks for the advice :-).

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  15. George, I want to welcome you to One Perfect Bite. I hope you'll be back often.

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  16. Oh my! Looks awesome, def. have to give this a try. How could something based on cheese not be delicious?

    : )

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  17. How tempting these cheesy busters look, Mary! These are now on my to try list as they'll be so tasty with soup! Thanks for posting recipe!

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  18. Buttery, cheesy..what could be better than that. This is a keeper, Mary. Thanks for the recipe.

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  19. These sound awesome!!! Cheesy w/ a bit of spice...my kinda food :D

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  20. I loooooooove the story behind the name busters!

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  21. I bet these tasted wonderful with the tomato soup... sounds like just the perfect thing!

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  22. How fun! They look absolutely decadent!

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  23. Ooooh these look PERFECT for moi!!! YUMMY! LOVE cheese!

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  24. Oh yes, would be wonderful with tomato soup..
    Love the origin of the name..:)

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  25. These look so great! I am really looking forward to adding some home made bread into our meals this winter. This looks like a great recipe- anything with cheese is great!!

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  26. That sweet child is my granddaughter.
    She just entered college!
    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  27. These sound delicious. I love your Saturday escapades to the market. Mister Linky is up and ready for this week's Crock Pot Wednesday. Thanks so much for participating last week. I hope to see you again this week. Thanks a bunch. Debbie.

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  28. This is a simple and yet delicious recipe. Love it! Will make some for my kids. Thanks.

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  29. These will be made in my house THIS WEEK! Thanks for another great recipe!

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  30. Thanks to you all! Busters were my all time most viewed post. I've got goosebumps.

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  31. I love anything with cheese, and these look great! I think they'd actually be great served with some fresh fruit jam too. Thanks for sharing!

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  32. Wow! I just made these and they are amazing. I didn't measure the cheese too carefully so there was somewhere between 3-4 cups in the end. They came out wonderfully. They weren't completely hard like a cracker or soft like a scone. They were kind of chewy and perfect! Thank you for the recipe. I have a feeling I will be making this over and over again.

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  33. That looks so quick and easy - and we're always eating chicken soup here, as I can't bear to waste a scrap from our chickens. These will be a nice, rich, counterbalance.

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  34. They look really good but I have never heard of them, I wonder where the recipe originated.

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  35. As an Aussie, I must admit that I have never heard of Aussie Busters but they do look tasty. Maybe those New Zealanders are trying to shove us some busters so that they can steal our pavlova's out from under our noses? ;)

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  36. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I made these for Halloween by turning them into mummies - I cut the biscuit in rectangles and wrapped them in bandages.... You can see the pictures on my blog http://afracooking.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/cheese-biscuits-disguised-for-halloween/

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  37. Hello. these look amazing and I will try them soon. I love your site. I am Australian, 66 years old and have been a chef many years, but I have never heard of these. If I had I would have tried them.

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  38. Cut into squares rather than circles and you don't have to deal with scraps.

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  39. Cut into squares rather than circles and you don't have to deal with scraps.

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  40. These are a childhood staple - and anytime I want to be transported back in time, I use this recipe! Thank you! - sidenote: for anyone who hasn't made this recipe - do! It's simple and tremendously satisfying.

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