Corn Crackers

Corn Crackers
from Laurel's Bread Book

1 cup cornmeal (fine grind, NOT stone ground)

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or white, but definitely pastry flour)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. chili powder (I use more like a teaspoon)

2 tbsp. grated cheddar cheese (we like more, and very finely grated sharp)

2 tbsp. oil

1/2 cup buttermilk (I use yogurt or sour cream + milk)

(I used to add minced fresh hot peppers too.)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix dry ingredients and cheese.
3. Add oil and milk and mix to form a soft, moist dough.
4. She gives all sorts of blather about rolling them out using waxed paper. I just sprayed Pam on the cookie sheet and rolled. Make the stuff as t-h-i-n as you can, 2 mm would be good. 1/8" is way too thick. Test in the center as well as at the edges. After rolling, score with a knife. I prick mine with a fork just for looks (they don't bubble).
5. Bake 5-10 minutes being very careful not to burn them. I remove the done crackers from around the edge and let the central ones cook longer.

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Cheese Straws Cracker Un-Recipe

My gran used to make cheese straws, basically shortcrust pastry with cheese in the dough and more grated cheese sprinkled on top. She cut hers into strips and twisted them. No reason why you shouldn't cut yours into political shapes instead.

Be sure to use a good sharp cheese with plenty of flavor so they taste of cheese not pastry. A little fresh ground black pepper in the dough helps too, but leaves little black dots.

J.
(10/31/04)

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Cheese Crackers from Carolyn

Here's a recipe from Bernard Clayton.

Makes 4 dozen tiny crackers (note -- I haven't made these, but his recipes are generally good. I suggest you double this recipe because your crackers won't be tiny, and the quantities below seem small.)

Cheese Crackers

1-1/2 oz Cheddar cheese (I'd go with something very sharp)
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp tepid water
1/2 tsp malt syrup
2 tbsp solid vegetable shortening, room temperature

Shred the cheese. Into a mixing bowl measure 1 cup of the flour and add all dry ingredients and the cheese. Stir.

In a separate bowl dissolve the malt in the water and add the shortening. Mix with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add flour, a few tablespoons at a time, to form a dough that can be kneaded by hand or with a dough hook on the mixer. If the dough is wet, continue to add sprinkles of flour. Once dough has formed, place in refrigerator for at least one hour, wrapped. (Can be kept up to 2 days in fridge this way before baking).

Roll dough out into rectangle, very thin. Dough should not be thicker than 1/16" according to Clayton. Fold the dough from the ends to make three layers (as if you were making puff pastry). Turn the dough and again roll into a rectangle no thicker than 1/16".

Cut your shapes and bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, in a preheated 400°F oven, for 8-15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt when done.

Like I said, I haven't made these, but they sound pretty good. It may be a bit dicey cutting your elephants and donkeys. Let me know how they turn out.

Carolyn
(10/31/04)

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Sylvia's Graham Crackers

Sylvia's Graham Crackers

I have made these and they take a light hand but are very yummy. From Katzen's Enchanted Broccoli Forest Cookbook (modified a bit):

Homemade Graham Crackers
3 cups whole wheat flour
     (I prefer 1/2 cup unbleached white + 2-1/2 cups coarse whole wheat,
      or 2-1/2 cups graham flour if you can get it)
1/2 tsp. each of: salt, baking powder, cinnamon
6 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup honey, warmed

Mix dry ingredients. Pour in liquids and mix with a fork, then push together with hands. Do not knead or over-mix. Using lots of flour, roll out 1/8" thick, cut into 1.25" x 3" rectangles, prick with fork, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for up to 10 minutes and cool on a rack.

I've made the dough with the steel knife in my Cuisinart, adding ginger and cloves, adding a bit of pumpkin, etc. They are definitely not the shortening wonders from the grocery store, but they are nice crackers.

Katzen has a cornmeal cracker in another book that I really like, and her gingerbread in the EBF is excellent.

from beadlizard
(11/29/00)

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