Crackers

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Olive Oil Cracker

If you have trouble tracking down semolina flour, just substitute white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour), it will be make a slightly different cracker but should still work. To get creative with your crackers you can top them with lots of things before baking: freshly grated cheese, artisan salts, cornmeal, a dusting of your favorite spice blend, seeds, or a wash of your favorite flavored or infused oil. You can simply cut the unbaked cracker dough into various shapes using one of those pizza cutting wheels.
Servings: 12 large crackers

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups semolina flour
  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Whisk together the flours and salt. Add the water and olive oil. Using a mixer with a dough hook attachment mix the dough at medium speed for about 5 – 7 minutes. Alternately, feel free to mix and then knead by hand on a floured counter-top. The dough should be just a bit tacky – not too dry, not too sticky to work with. If you need to add a bit more water (or floudo so.
  • When you are done mixing, shape the dough into a large ball. Now cut into twelve equal-sized pieces. Gently rub each piece with a bit of olive oil, shape into a small ball and place on a plate. Cover with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 – 60 minutes.
  • While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 450F degrees. Insert a pizza stone if you have one.
  • When the dough is done resting, flatten one dough ball. Using a rolling pin or a pasta machine, shape into a flat strip of dough – I can usually get down to the 4 setting on my pasta machine w/o trouble. Pull the dough out a bit thinner by hand (the way you might pull pizza dough). You can also cut the dough into whatever shape you like at this point. Set dough on a floured (or cornmeal dustebaking sheet, poke each cracker with the tines of a fork to prevent puffing, add any extra toppings, and slide into the oven (onto the pizza stone). Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls, baking in small batches. If you don’t have a pizza stone, bake crackers a few at a time on baking sheets. Bake until deeply golden, and let cool before eating – you will get more crackery snap.

Notes

August 2009

Classic Cheese Crackers

These are so good that you’ll always want to have some on hand.  The logs freeze well, so you can thaw, slice and bake them on short notice.  Don’t skimp on the cheese and butter—buy the best.
Servings: 4 dozen

Ingredients

  • ½     pound sharp white cheddar grated
  • ½     cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1      cup flour
  • ½     teaspoon salt
  • ¼     teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Cream the butter using a hand mixer.  Add the grated cheese and mix thoroughly.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl, and then add to the cheese and butter.  Mix again.  Form the dough into a ball and slice in half.  Shape each piece into a log, about an inch in diameter.  Wrap each in a large sheet of plastic wrap and roll and shape carefully.   Refrigerate for one hour.
  • Set oven at 350 degrees.
  • Unwrap one log and slice each cracker about ¼ thick.  Place one inch apart on a cookie sheet.  Repeat with second log.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crackers are very lightly brown on the edges.  Cool on a cake rack.  This recipe makes about four dozen crackers.

Honey Wheat Crackers

Servings: 125 crackers

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups whole-wheat or whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons fine salt
  • 3 tablespoons whole flaxseed
  • 3 tablespoons raw millet

Instructions

  • Pour melted, cooled butter into a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl). Whisk in honey, eggs and milk.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt and seeds.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet. If you have a stand mixer, mix with a dough hook until dough forms a ball. Dough should be soft, but not overly sticky. Add more flour if it is too wet. Without a stand mixer, stir ingredients together and knead by hand until dough is smooth.
  • Divide dough into four equal portions. Work with one piece at a time, and keep the others covered with a damp towel. Roll out on a lightly floured surface or large cutting board until very thin – no thicker than nice stationery. Once you think you have it thin enough, give it a few more passes with the rolling pin (especially in the middle, which tends to be thicker than the edges). If your dough is too thick, the crackers will turn out soft and bready.
  • Cut dough sheet into desired shapes. A small biscuit cutter makes perfectly-sized circles, but you will have to reroll and cut the scraps a few times. Alternatively, you can use a fluted pastry wheel, pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into squares or rectangles.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place cut crackers on a lined baking sheet and bake 10 to 13 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let sit one minute, then remove to a rack until completely cooled and crisp.

Make-ahead:

  • Dough can be mixed the day before, wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before rolling out.

Variations:

  • Play with the ratio of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour, or use all whole-wheat. Any small seeds can be mixed in – chia, hemp, sesame or chopped sunflower.
  • Using leftovers/storage: Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze baked crackers up to three months.

Notes

March 2012

Parmesan Cream Crackers

Total Time20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half more as needed
  • Coarse salt optional, pepper, sesame or poppy seeds, minced garlic or whatever you like for sprinkling .

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly dust with flour. Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until flour and butter are combined. Add about 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half and let machine run for a bit; continue to add liquid a teaspoon at a time, until mixture holds together but is not sticky.
  • Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/2-inch thick or even thinner, adding flour as needed. Transfer sheet of dough to prepared baking sheet (drape it over rolling pin to make it easier). Score lightly with a sharp knife, pizza cutter or a pastry wheel if you want to break crackers into squares or rectangles later on. Sprinkle with salt or other topping if you like.
  • Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temperature or store in a tin for a few days.

Whole Grain and Sesame Crackers

Servings: 3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/4 cup Soy Flour
  • 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds White Hulled
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 cup Water (approximately)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Stir flours, sesame seeds and salt together in medium-size bowl.
  • Add oil and blend well.
  • Add only enough water to make it easy to roll-the consistency of pie dough.
  • Roll dough to 1/8 inch thick and cut into shapes or sticks.
  • Bake on un-greased baking sheet until crisp.
  • Store in tightly covered container up to 1 week.