I am having a Christmas party this Sunday (I know it is awfully early) and so I decided rather than going out and buying crackers for my cheese and quince paste platter I would make my own. I had seen these being made when I was lying on the couch a couple of weeks ago sick and unable to do anything but watch the Food Network. I found the recipe from Laura Calder on the food network web page. I have of course changed it a little but not materially
2/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 egg
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Put the butter, sugar, salt, water and egg in a food processor and mix until the ingredients have formed a smooth paste.
Then add the dry ingredients and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like course bread crumbs,
do not overwork. Then pour into a bowl.
Add the cold water and mix with a wooden spoon until just holding together. Bring it together then cut into two pieces.
Roll the dough out 1/16 of an inch thick. Cut into squares or cut out with a cookie cutter, I did both half square and half round.
Sprinkle over the topping(s) I did some with Malden salt, some with herb's de Provence and the remainder with zatar. After sprinkling on the toppings I pressed each one gently to make sure it was embedded and not going to roll off.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until puffed, crisp, and golden brown. The round ones puffed up a little more than the square ones, in fact they are so puffy I am not sure how you put cheese on them!
For these reason I think I might make square ones in future. But they all tasted good.
Some other toppings that were suggested in the original recipe were:- crushed dill seed; or crushed fennel seed and crushed coriander seed with 5spice; or paprika and cayenne pepper; or poppyseeds; or sesame seeds; or mixed peppercorns; or crushed cumin seed and cayenne pepper, or Parmesan cheese and Fleur de sel.
I will definitely make these again this holiday season and will probably try some of the other toppings.
2/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 egg
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Put the butter, sugar, salt, water and egg in a food processor and mix until the ingredients have formed a smooth paste.
Then add the dry ingredients and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like course bread crumbs,
do not overwork. Then pour into a bowl.
Add the cold water and mix with a wooden spoon until just holding together. Bring it together then cut into two pieces.
Roll the dough out 1/16 of an inch thick. Cut into squares or cut out with a cookie cutter, I did both half square and half round.
Sprinkle over the topping(s) I did some with Malden salt, some with herb's de Provence and the remainder with zatar. After sprinkling on the toppings I pressed each one gently to make sure it was embedded and not going to roll off.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until puffed, crisp, and golden brown. The round ones puffed up a little more than the square ones, in fact they are so puffy I am not sure how you put cheese on them!
For these reason I think I might make square ones in future. But they all tasted good.
Some other toppings that were suggested in the original recipe were:- crushed dill seed; or crushed fennel seed and crushed coriander seed with 5spice; or paprika and cayenne pepper; or poppyseeds; or sesame seeds; or mixed peppercorns; or crushed cumin seed and cayenne pepper, or Parmesan cheese and Fleur de sel.
I will definitely make these again this holiday season and will probably try some of the other toppings.
looks great...nice to try for the entertaining season!
ReplyDeleteI will vouch for the wonderful taste of these crackers. The ones you served at the Christmas party were perfectly seasoned.
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