Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese and Cranberry Croque Monsieur Toasties

This recipe is simplicity itself but truly festive and delicious, real Farmhouse Cheddar cheese melted with cranberry jelly between rustic thick sliced bread. Great with a glass of spiced mulled wine at Christmas, or with a chillled Rose or Chardonnay in the summer. Recipe from West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers. Here is what they say about their special cheeses: "Welcome to the West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers website, the home of authentic handmade Farmhouse Cheddar. Here you’ll discover everything you need to know about the world’s finest cheeses to enjoy over the festive period. We’re a small group of farmers based in the South West of England and we share a passion for the traditional art of cheesemaking. Every one of our Cheddars is made in the West Country, by West Country families using West Country milk. That’s why we can call them West Country cheeses. Every one of our authentic cheeses is made on the farm. That’s what makes them authentic Farmhouse cheeses. Every one of them is made by hand. That’s why we can call them handmade. It’s the care and expertise of our cheesemakers and the different geographical locations of our farms that gives each of our cheeses a character of its own. Our Farmhouse cheeses have a lingering, full-bodied and complex flavour with a start, a middle and an end, and their texture is substantial yet temptingly crumbly." www.farmhousecheesemakers.co.uk

• Ready In: 8 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 Toasties

Ingredients

• 8  thick slices  white bread, crusts removed
• 50  g  lightly-salted butter (2 ounces)
• 225  g  west country farmhouse cheddar cheese, grated (8 ounces)
• 4  tablespoons cranberry jelly

Directions

1. Spread bread with half the butter in the normal way.
2. Top 4 slices with the grated cheese and spoon on cranberry jelly. Top with the remaining bread (butter side down) to make 4 sandwiches.
3. Gently fry the bread in the remaining butter until crisp and golden on both sides.
4. Cut into triangles and serve whilst warm with fresh seasonal salad leaves.