Air Fryer Recipe
Marmite and Cheese Straws
Marmite and cheese straws are a savoury snack combining the umami flavour of Marmite with cheese in flaky puff pastry, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- Ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
- 2 tbsp Marmite
- 100g mature cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- Optional: pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper
Method
- Unroll the puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle if needed.
- Spread Marmite evenly over the pastry.
- Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over the Marmite layer.
- Optionally, add paprika or cayenne pepper.
- Fold the pastry sheet in half lengthwise and press gently.
- Slice the folded pastry into 1 cm wide strips.
- Twist each strip to create a spiral and place in the air fryer basket.
- Brush twists with beaten egg.
- Set air fryer to 200°C and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air-fryer convection drives moisture off the exposed pastry quickly, so the butter layers puff before the cheese can make them soggy. Marmite adds salt and umami but is sticky, so a thin, even layer is crucial; too much traps steam and delays crisping in the centre of each twist.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5-6 litre basket holding the straws in one layer with gaps; cook in batches if they touch. In a single-drawer fryer, turn or shuffle at 5 minutes for even browning. In a dual-zone model, use the hotter, better-filled drawer or add 1-2 minutes if both drawers are running.
Common pitfalls
- Dark tips but pale, soft middles by minute 8: the twists are too thick or tightly wound; reduce to 1 cm strips, twist loosely, and cook 2-3 minutes longer at 180°C.
- Cheese leaking and smoking in the basket: the cheddar was too coarsely grated or piled near the edges; use finely grated cheese, leave a small clean border, and line only the base with perforated parchment if needed.
- Pastry looks flat rather than puffed: it warmed up before cooking; chill the twisted straws for 10 minutes, then air fry straight from cold so the butter steams the layers apart.
- Marmite tastes harsh or burnt: the layer was uneven or exposed on the outside of the twist; spread it very thinly and keep the Marmite side mostly enclosed when folding.
Variations & substitutions
- Use extra-mature cheddar for a sharper flavour; it releases a little more fat, so leave wider gaps between straws to prevent greasy patches.
- Swap half the cheddar for Parmesan; it browns faster and gives a drier, crisper finish, so check from 7 minutes.
- Add sesame or poppy seeds after the egg wash; they toast quickly in the air fryer, so reduce the temperature to 190°C if they darken before the pastry is done.
- Use yeast extract alternative instead of Marmite; if it is runnier, spread less of it or the pastry layers will slide during twisting.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled straws in an airtight tin for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 2-3 minutes to re-crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
