Long Thin Cheese & Caraway Crescents

Delicate, crispy on the outside, soft inside crescents flavored with creamy cheese and aromatic caraway seeds. Perfect as an appetizer, snack, or to accompany a light meal.

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⏲️ Prep Time: 1 hr 15 min (including rising)

🍳 Bake Time: 15 min

🍽️ Yields: 4 servings (approx. 20-24 crescents)

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🥣 Ingredients

Dough

• 300 g all-purpose flour (BL 55)
• 100 g creamy cow or goat cheese (e.g. Almette)
• 150 ml warm water
• 1/2 packet dry yeast
• 3/4 tsp salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 1 tbsp oil

For brushing

• 1 small egg
• 3 tbsp milk
• Salt

For topping

• Caraway seeds
• Coarse sea salt

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Sift flour with salt into a large bowl.
2. Dissolve yeast in 50 ml warm water, add sugar, cover and let activate in a warm place (~28°C) for 10-15 min until frothy.
3. Make a well in the flour and add cheese, activated yeast mixture, and oil. Start kneading while gradually adding the remaining 100 ml water until dough forms a slightly sticky ball.
4. Knead by hand or with a bread machine on dough setting until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled.
5. Dust work surface with flour and turn out dough. Divide into two equal parts.
6. Roll each piece into a thin, even sheet about 36 x 27 cm. Trim edges with a pastry wheel to form perfect rectangles.
7. Cut long strips: one 18 cm wide (for large crescents), the remaining 9 cm wide (for smaller crescents).
8. From the 18 cm strip cut two 18×18 cm squares; from the 9 cm strip cut squares 9×9 cm. Cut each square diagonally to form triangles.
9. Take each triangle, pinch the tip and gently stretch the dough lengthwise. Roll the triangle from the wide base toward the tip to form a long, thin crescent.
10. Place crescents on parchment-lined baking trays, tucking the tips underneath. Let rise for 15 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a small pan of water on the lowest rack for steam.
12. Beat the egg with milk and salt. Brush the crescents lightly, avoiding excess glaze dripping.
13. Sprinkle caraway seeds and coarse sea salt on top.
14. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and crisp. Smaller crescents may bake faster (about 10 minutes).
15. Remove the water pan as soon as crescents go in the oven to avoid sogginess. Cool slightly before serving.

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💡 Tips

• Use a light creamy cheese for best texture and flavor.
• Stretching crescents before rolling helps achieve the signature thin shape.
• Serve warm with herbed cream cheese or prosciutto for a delicious pairing.
• Smaller crescents make great crunchy snacks alongside beer or wine.

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