Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without Blacksticks Blue – it’s brighter than the star on top of your tree, it’s bluer than your Grandad's jokes, and it’s delicious! The best thing about it though? Versatility. Although there's nothing wrong with simply serving it on a humble cracker, there are so many more ways it can be eaten! Here's our rundown on our top cheesy food hacks to try this Christmas...

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Easy Peasy Cheesy Straws

Puff pastry twisted with our delicious tangy Blacksticks Blue and baked to perfection. Wow. These won't last long, so make extra! 

Ingredients:

1. A roll of Puff Pasty (you can of course make your own puff pastry, but its not the easiest, so to make this easy peasy we are using shop bought sheets)
2. Blacksticks Blue (crumbled or grated - you choose or try a little of each)
3. Flour (a little for dusting)
4. A sheet of baking parchment or a greased baking tray

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
2. Line your baking tray with baking parchment or lightly grease the tray
3. Lightly dust a clean, flat surface with flour.
4. Lay out your sheets of puff pastry and cut into strips approx. 2cm wide. You can do this by simply running a knife along the pastry - they don’t have to be perfect.
5. Crumble or grate the cheese - you can try mixing some of our other cheeses for different flavours - but we think Blacksticks Blue works brilliantly. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of each ‘slice’.
6. Then lift one end of the straw and turn it over quickly to keep the cheese inside - do a couple of twists until half of the straw is twisted, and then twist the other end of the straw.
7. Do this with each straw and sprinkle with the left over cheese. Not too much though, as you don’t want to overload them or they won’t be crispy.
8. Place all the straws on the prepared baking tray and cook in the oven for about 10 mins or until golden.
9. Remove from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack so they are they not molten hot!
10. We challenge you not to eat them all before they are completely cool!
11. Make another top secret batch and repeat the recipe.

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Blacksticks Brussels 

Sprouts get far too much hate for our liking, and we'd bet even the biggest disbeliever would be converted by these beauties! Serve them as canapés, as a starter or as part of your Christmas lunch. Got leftover sprouts from the big day? They're also perfect as a Boxing Day snack.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 450g Brussels sprouts, crossed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 pack of pancetta rashers
• 1 pack of Blacksticks Blue
• Wooden skewers

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2. Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking tray and drizzle with oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
4. Fry the pancetta for about 5 minutes, or until the pancetta gets crispy.
5. Cube Blacksticks Blue to be slightly smaller than the sprouts.
6. Skewer pancetta, followed by a sprout, followed by the cheese - weaving the pancetta through.

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The Blacksticks Blue Cheesecake

Forget about your New York Cheesecake, this is a proper Lancashire Cheesecake made with proper cheese! Made as individuals, these little delights are a take on cheese and crackers - there’s nothing not to like, they look great for any occasion.

Method:

1. Using your spare or broken crackers from your cheeseboard, smash them with a rolling pin until you have a pieces 1cm in size or smaller. Then mix with enough melted butter to just coat the dry crackers.
2. Using pastry rings or moulds (you could even use small glasses) push the warm cracker mixture into the bottom and flatten using a rolling pin or similar, to make the bases. Refrigerate until cool.
3. Crumble the Blacksticks Blue and add to an equal amount of cream cheese. Mix in a food processor until smooth. Spoon the mixture onto your cooled bases.
4. To top - melt 100g golden caster sugar with a splash of warm water and add shelled walnuts. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, cool and then top each cheesecake with a candied half walnut. Delicious!