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You are here: Home / Recipes / Daring Bakers / Daring Kitchen Challenges / Daring Bakers: Going Crackers!

Daring Bakers: Going Crackers!

July 27, 2012 By Korena in the Kitchen 38 Comments

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.

Homemade crackers are one of those things I’ve seen recipes for and thought, “I should make those!” but never got around to actually doing it. Maybe because they’re not loaded with sugar or chocolate? (That seems to be what attracts me these days…) Or maybe because I don’t eat a lot of crackers on a regular basis? Whatever the reason, it’s now moot, because Dana’s challenge was to make not one, but two kinds of crackers, by two different methods: rolled by hand, by pasta machine, or by the slice-and-bake/icebox method.

rolled by hand and the slice-and-bake method

For my first try, I made Alana’s Naked Crackers. I trust her because she’s written an entire book on making homemade versions of things that you’d normally buy in the store (crackers, butter, ketchup, pop-tarts, etc), so I figured she would know a thing or two about making crackers. These ones have millet in them for crunch, and I added some parmesan cheese, chives, and black pepper. When I first bit into one, I have to admit I wasn’t too impressed, but then I had a few more and I was hooked. That first one I ate was a little over-baked (I’m still figuring out the oven at our new place) and these crackers are definitely best when they are just barely golden brown, otherwise they get kind of bitter tasting. But they are crisp, savoury, and really quite addictive. If they had a bit of whole wheat flour in them, they would be sort of like stoned wheat thins.

My second batch of crackers would be more accurately described as savoury shortbread. I used one of the recipes provided in the challenge to make these Romano, fig, and walnut crackers with seeds using the slice-and-bake/icebox method. Like shortbread cookies, these crackers are really tasty and I had to stop myself from eating them by the handful. Crisp and crumbly, they have a good bite from the Romano cheese, a little sweetness and chewiness from the figs, and lots of texture and crunch from the walnuts and seeds. They were incredibly easy to make and you could use any kind of cheese or other add-in to make infinite variations. I will definitely be making these again.

Thanks Dana for the push I needed to finally make crackers! Check out the Daring Kitchen for all the other delicious crackers made this month. 🙂

Not-So-Naked Crackers

Adapted from Eating from the Ground Up. I used cheap parmesan in these and couldn’t really taste it, so I’ve increased the amount and recommend using the good stuff (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano) because it has better flavour (or another strongly flavoured cheese). I tried rolling these out with my pasta machine but it absolutely did not work, so hand-rolling it is!

In a bowl, combine:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup raw millet

1/2 tsp fine salt or 3/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add:

1 cup grated good quality parmesan cheese

1 heaping tbsp snipped chives

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

a few dashes cayenne

Whisk to combine. With a fork, stir in:

1/2 cup olive oil

Stir to combine. It should come together as a crumbly dough.

Knead the dough with your hands while slowly adding (a few drops at a time):

1/2 cup water

Knead the dough for about 2 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic (it will seem sticky at first but don’t add any more flour). Divide the dough in half, roll out each half on a floured surface to about 1/8” thick, and cut it into shapes (whatever size you want) with a knife or cookie cutters. Place the crackers on an ungreased baking sheet about 1/2” apart and sprinkle them with coarse salt (I finally remembered about this fancy little tin of Maldon sea salt!).

Bake in the preheated 350˚F oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet and bake another 10 – 15 minutes, or until the crackers are just barely golden brown (don’t over-bake them!). Let cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Romano, Fig & Walnut Seedy Shortbread Crackers

Recipe adapted from “Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen” by the American Culinary Institute. Makes about 4 dozen. Romano cheese is quite strongly flavoured, so feel free to use a milder cheese if you prefer, as well as any kinds of seeds, nuts, or dried fruit. The cheese plays a starring role in these crackers, so the better the cheese, the better the cracker.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft

2 1/4 cups grated Romano cheese

Mix together on medium-high speed until well combined and fluffy. Add:

1 cup + 3 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Mix on medium speed until you get a crumbly dough.

Add:

1/2 cup each chopped walnut and diced dried figs

1/4 cup each sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp each sesame seeds and poppy seeds

Mix again on medium speed until everything is well-combined. The dough should be crumbly but soft. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into two logs. This might take some patience – you want the logs to be as tightly packed as possible, otherwise the crackers will fall apart when you slice them. Wrap the two logs in tightly in plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to help you make the logs into an even, tight shape. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325˚F. With a large sharp knife, cut the chilled dough into slightly thinner than 1/4″ slices. Place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown (the ones around the edges baked faster, so I took them out a few minutes before the rest). Let the crackers cool on a rack and then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Filed Under: Daring Bakers / Daring Kitchen Challenges, Recipes, Soups, Sides & Snacks Tagged With: appetizers, baking, cheese, crackers, Daring Bakers, dried fruit, fig and walnut, food, homemade crackers, recipe, Romano cheese, savoury shortbread, seedy crackers, snacks

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Comments

  1. Cher says

    July 27, 2012 at 5:23 am

    Gorgeous crackers!
    Everyone’s versions are definitely inspiring me to go in and give it a shot. The fig and walnut crackers sound perfect for a cocktail party.

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 27, 2012 at 8:47 am

      They would definitely go well with a fancy cocktail 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jenni says

    July 27, 2012 at 6:08 am

    Great job!! Your crackers look delicious!!!

    Reply
  3. What's for dessert? says

    July 27, 2012 at 10:58 am

    Great recipes and I’m delighted with fig crackers

    Reply
  4. Sawsan@ Chef in disguise says

    July 27, 2012 at 11:32 am

    Those fig crackers are really calling to me. The crackers I made are long gone and I would really like to try these next.
    Great job as always Korena

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:09 am

      Thank you Sawsan. The fig crackers were pretty good and I think you’d enjoy them.

      Reply
  5. frugalfeeding says

    July 27, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    awesome job, Korena :d. You’re so right… I love the idea of homemade crackers, but only rarely ever do them – I think I’ve only ever done one recipe for something remotely like a cracker… I must do more – they’re perfect for summer.

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:09 am

      Definitely a good summer nibble – perfect with a cold beer 😉

      Reply
  6. hannah grunzke says

    July 27, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    Very very pretty! I like the idea of the cayenne a lot, I’ll be trying some spice in my next batch of crackers!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:11 am

      I didn’t use enough to make them spicy, but it livened them up a bit.

      Reply
  7. jo@includingcake says

    July 27, 2012 at 2:23 pm

    Lovely photos! Your crackers make my mouth water and even though I never usually miss cheese…I really fancy a bit now! 🙂

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:15 am

      Thank you Jo. If I’m couldn’t bake with sugar or chocolate, then I definitely had to include cheese 😉

      Reply
  8. Rhianna says

    July 27, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    These look brilliant. You have become quite the powerhouse lately, Korena. Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:17 am

      Heh, I have quite a bit of time to spend in the kitchen right now so I’m taking full advantage 😉

      Reply
  9. Dawn says

    July 27, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    Korena, your crackers look delicious and I love your stunning step-by-step photos!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:17 am

      Thanks Dawn!

      Reply
  10. bourbonnatrix says

    July 27, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    your crackers are so… pretty! (never thought i’d say that about a cracker!) the one with the figs in it especially looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:19 am

      Haha, thank you!

      Reply
  11. Suz says

    July 28, 2012 at 7:47 am

    I agree with bourbonnatrix: your crackers are beautiful! The icebox crackers look especially lovely. I don’t even like cheesy crackers, but I don’t think I’d be able to resist them. If anything could win me over, it’s these. 🙂

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 8:22 am

      Aww, thank you Suz! The fig ones were quite cheesy, but with a milder cheese they would be… milder, obviously 😉

      Reply
  12. marcellina says

    July 28, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    Your crackers look so professional and so delicious!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 10:27 pm

      Thank you Marcellina!

      Reply
  13. Shelley C says

    July 28, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    Oooh, yum, both of those cracker varieties look amazing – I am impressed you were able to avoid eating both batches straight away! 🙂 I can’t decide which ones I want to try first!!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 28, 2012 at 10:31 pm

      Thanks Shelley 🙂

      Reply
  14. Rock Salt says

    July 29, 2012 at 4:32 am

    Romano, Fig and Walnut Seedy Shortbread – that is a mouthful. A delicious, delicious mouthful… I’m very inspired to make these stat!

    Reply
  15. Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says

    July 29, 2012 at 7:54 am

    Looks like a smashing success.

    Reply
  16. Kim says

    July 29, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    Nice job on the challenge! Beautiful crackers and tasty flavors!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 29, 2012 at 10:16 pm

      Thank you Kim!

      Reply
  17. Cakewhiz says

    July 29, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    Such flavorful crackers! So much better than the bland ones i usually eat!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 30, 2012 at 7:25 am

      That’s the beauty of making your own crackers, right – any flavour you want! 🙂

      Reply
  18. Sibella at bakingwithsibella.com says

    July 30, 2012 at 7:46 am

    Delightful crackers Korena! I actually never made crackers before and now I am totally inspired! 😀
    Have a great week!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 30, 2012 at 8:07 am

      You should definitely give them a try – fun and easy, and so many ways to modify them!

      Reply
      • Sibella at bakingwithsibella.com says

        July 30, 2012 at 8:10 am

        I definitely will and will pair them up with some alouette garlic and herb cheese! YUM! 🙂

        Reply
  19. My Italian Smörgåsbord says

    July 30, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I love your “how to” collages. think I would go for the fig crackers, which also look nicely colorful… thanks for stopping by and for your kind words, I still have your Danish pastries in my to do list 🙂

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 30, 2012 at 9:00 pm

      You should definitely try the danishes, they were so good!!

      Reply
  20. Crumbs of Love says

    July 30, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    Beautiful and original. I adore figs in anything, so I would love these!

    Reply
    • Korena in the Kitchen says

      July 30, 2012 at 9:01 pm

      I hadn’t baked with them before, but I definitely will again. So tasty!

      Reply
  21. Mary says

    August 3, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    They both look fantastic, but I really want to try the savoury shortbread! They’ve never really appealed until I saw yours, and now I want to eat them by the handful too!

    Reply

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I'm Korena: cook, baker, dirty-dishes-maker. My favourite things include flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate. Read More…

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