A tasty no junk recipe that can be adapted to any shape! We've created some stripy Christmas canes, simply by varying the type of flour, to show you what's possible. They make the perfect Christmas gift for the family wrapped with a bit of ribbon - that’s if there are any left of course!
Makes 12 canes
Suitable from 10 months/Stage 2/Moving on
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

Batch 1

• 100g wholewheat flour (or gluten free alternative)
• 50g unsalted cold butter
• 75g tasty Cheddar cheese
• 2 tsps dried thyme
• 1 egg (or approx 3-4 tbsps water can be used instead)

Batch 2

• 100g plain white flour (or gluten free alternative)
• 50g unsalted cold butter
• 75g tasty Cheddar cheese
• 2 tsps dried thyme
• 1 egg (or approx 3-4 tbsps water can be used instead)

How to make Christmas canes cheese straws

1. 1. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas mark 6
2. 2. Make up the two batches separately. In a large bowl rub the butter into the flour with your finger tips, until it resembles bread crumbs (or a food processor can be used with the 'pulse setting'). Stir in grated cheddar and thyme
3. 3. Create a well in the centre and add whisked egg or water a little at a time, combining the wet and dry ingredients to create a dough. Add enough of the egg/water so that the mix comes together to form a smooth dough, that is not too sticky (if you have any egg left, reserve it for brushing the straws before they go into the oven)
4. 4. Knead the dough just a little to bring it together, then place onto a lightly floured surface. Roll lightly into a rectangle and cut into 12 even squares. Repeat with the second batch (the less the dough is handled, the lighter the cheese straws will be)
5. 5. To create the plait, take one of the 12 brown squares of dough, and roll into a long thin, even sausage shape with your hands on the worktop, (about the thickness of a straw). Do the same with one of the white squares of dough. Now plait the two strips of dough together. Finally, create a curve at the top to create a cane shape, and place onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of your dough, until you have 12 beautiful canes 
6. 6. For best results lightly brush each straw with a little whisked egg just before they go into the oven. This will give a wonderful golden shine to the finished biscuit, but it is optional. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden.