Seeded Crackers
These homemade crackers are a delightful treat, perfect for snacking or serving at gatherings. Bursting with flavor from mustard, poppy, and sesame seeds, these crispy delights are a wonderful accompaniment to your favorite spreads or simply enjoyed on their own. The process of making these crackers is simple and rewarding, resulting in a batch of tasty treats that are sure to impress your friends and family. Explore the variations to customize the flavors to your liking, making each batch a unique culinary creation.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
- 1 tsp. poppy seeds
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds
- 1 Tbs. solid vegetable shortening, at room
- temperature
- 1 Tbs. cold unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more, if needed
Instructions
- To make the dough by hand, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and poppy, sesame and mustard seeds. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of peas. Pour in the 1/2 cup cream and mix with a fork until a rough mass forms.
- To make the dough with a food processor, in the bowl of the processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and poppy, sesame and mustard seeds and pulse 1 or 2 times to mix. Add the shortening and butter and pulse 7 to 10 times until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of peas. Pour in the 1/2 cup cream and pulse a few times until the dough comes together in a rough mass.
- Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out onto a clean work surface and gently squeeze it together. Add a few more drops of cream if the dough will not hold a soft shape. Gently press the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or for up to 1 hour.
- Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line 2 half-sheet pans or rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the dough disk and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into a rectangular sheet as thin as possible without tearing, dusting it with flour as needed to prevent sticking to either the work surface or the rolling pin. Trim the edges of the dough to fit the prepared pan, then carefully transfer the dough to the pan. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Alternatively, using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the sheets of dough into shapes and place on the pans.
- Bake 1 sheet of crackers at a time until they are crisp and brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely until crisp. If you have baked the dough in sheets, break each sheet into shards. The crackers are best when eaten fresh, but they may be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes about 30 small crackers.
- <strong>Variations:</strong>
- <strong>Lemon-Thyme Crackers</strong>
- Omit the poppy, sesame and mustard seeds. Add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme with the pepper.
- <strong>Oregano-Parmesan Crackers</strong>
- Omit the poppy, sesame and mustard seeds. Add 1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano and 2 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with the pepper.
- <strong>Spicy Jack Cheese Crackers</strong>
- Omit the pepper, poppy and sesame seeds. Add 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. paprika and 2 Tbs. grated dry jack cheese with the mustard seeds.
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