Makes: 18 to 24 twists
Time: About 30 minutes
These are as impressive as they are easy, with the airy crispness of the best piecrusts joined with sublime buttery richness. All the twists mean plenty of nooks and crannies that get deeply golden as they bake. There’s plenty of room to adapt them to your own taste. See the variation that follows or the list on page 468.
1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ⅛ inch thick. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush the melted butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly lengthwise over half of the dough.
3. Fold the pastry in half lengthwise, with the untopped dough covering the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Gently roll with the rolling pin to seal the 2 halves together, then use a sharp knife to cut long vertical strips ½ inch wide. Twist each strip a couple times, pinching the ends to seal, then place them on the prepared baking sheets. If any cinnamon-sugar falls out while you’re twisting, dust it over the twists before baking.
4. Bake the twists for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re nicely golden. Let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
CHEESE TWISTS These make an easy, impressive appetizer. Use any hard cheese and swap the herbs and spices as you like: Instead of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, combine ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese with 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. For a little more spice, brush the pastry with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in place of the butter before topping it.
CARAMEL-PECAN TWISTS Chewy, crunchy, and crisp: Omit the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon; instead, drizzle half the pastry with ¾ cup Caramel Sauce) and top with ¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans.