Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.
I was so relieved to see this month's challenge on Daring Bakers' forum... Crackers...Yay!! I was crackling happy. This was something which I could fit in to make anytime in my schedule. Hello, I thought, I could even make them at night after the kids are asleep, or when I come back from college in the evening, or when I have time in the middle of afternoon on my free day, or after dropping off Saee to school in the morning. In my mind the plan was clear, I'll make the dough and keep it in fridge and whenever I could manage I'll bake a batch.. Simple..I was so wrong.
Yes I did made the dough beforehand and then.....I got super busy. I wont go into details but as a result the dough was resting in the fridge for over a week. So it was with dread I approached the dough this morning. I was not sure how the crackers will turn out and had a sinking feeling that I won't be able to submit my post this month. Nevertheless, I rolled out the dough and cut it into shapes and put it into oven and voila it turned out beautiful.
They tasted great and the texture was really nice and crumbly. My only regret is that I should've rolled it really thin (and I mean REALLY thin) as the crackers puffed up while baking, but hey when they tasted this good the thickness doesn't matter. In fact I was happy to get more from each bite. They were really crisp and the cheese flavour was just perfect.
I made Cheddar cheese and oregano crackers and topped it with a sprinkle of chili-sugar mix. Great accompaniment to afternoon tea/coffee or even when you feel like snacking.
Cheddar Cheese and Oregano Crackers
Ingredients:
1⅔ cups (400 ml) (235 gm) (8¼ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated cheddar cheese, firmly packed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (1 gm) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (½ gm) black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) vegetable oil
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) water
Spice Topping:
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1/8 gm) chilli flakes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sugar
Method:
Combine the spice topping and set aside.
Grate the cheese and put in the bowl of a food processor with flour, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. This can also be done by hand. Add the oil and pulse until the consistency of wet sand is reached. Add enough water for the dough to come together. Form the dough into two disks, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Heat the oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3.
Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, either use a rolling pin or roll out in your pasta rollers to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick. If you use pasta rollers, ensure the dough is well floured so as not to stick. Cut the strips into cracker shapes or cut out using a cookie cutter. Transfer to a parchment lined cookies sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes until medium golden brown. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days.
I was so relieved to see this month's challenge on Daring Bakers' forum... Crackers...Yay!! I was crackling happy. This was something which I could fit in to make anytime in my schedule. Hello, I thought, I could even make them at night after the kids are asleep, or when I come back from college in the evening, or when I have time in the middle of afternoon on my free day, or after dropping off Saee to school in the morning. In my mind the plan was clear, I'll make the dough and keep it in fridge and whenever I could manage I'll bake a batch.. Simple..I was so wrong.
Yes I did made the dough beforehand and then.....I got super busy. I wont go into details but as a result the dough was resting in the fridge for over a week. So it was with dread I approached the dough this morning. I was not sure how the crackers will turn out and had a sinking feeling that I won't be able to submit my post this month. Nevertheless, I rolled out the dough and cut it into shapes and put it into oven and voila it turned out beautiful.
They tasted great and the texture was really nice and crumbly. My only regret is that I should've rolled it really thin (and I mean REALLY thin) as the crackers puffed up while baking, but hey when they tasted this good the thickness doesn't matter. In fact I was happy to get more from each bite. They were really crisp and the cheese flavour was just perfect.
I made Cheddar cheese and oregano crackers and topped it with a sprinkle of chili-sugar mix. Great accompaniment to afternoon tea/coffee or even when you feel like snacking.
Cheddar Cheese and Oregano Crackers
Ingredients:
1⅔ cups (400 ml) (235 gm) (8¼ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated cheddar cheese, firmly packed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (1 gm) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (½ gm) black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) vegetable oil
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) water
Spice Topping:
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1/8 gm) chilli flakes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sugar
Method:
Combine the spice topping and set aside.
Grate the cheese and put in the bowl of a food processor with flour, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. This can also be done by hand. Add the oil and pulse until the consistency of wet sand is reached. Add enough water for the dough to come together. Form the dough into two disks, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Heat the oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3.
Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, either use a rolling pin or roll out in your pasta rollers to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick. If you use pasta rollers, ensure the dough is well floured so as not to stick. Cut the strips into cracker shapes or cut out using a cookie cutter. Transfer to a parchment lined cookies sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes until medium golden brown. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days.
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