Farmhouse Fresh Homemade Crackers Recipes

HOMEMADE ORANGE MARMALADE AND HAND-ROLLED WHOLE-GRAIN CRACKERS

Steps:

• Place the oranges in a saucepan with the sugar, 5 cups water, the lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the marmalade gels and thickens and a candy thermometer inserted in the marmalade reads 222 degrees F, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Ladle the marmalade into 4 hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe around the edges of the jar and place the lid in the center. Screw on the bands until tight, then place the jars in a canner filled with boiling water. The jar tops should be covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Process for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool.
• Serve the orange marmalade with Hand-Rolled Whole-Grain Crackers.
• Hand-Rolled Whole-Grain Crackers:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. Then add the flour, salt, nutmeg and cloves and pulse again. While running the processor, add 1/3 cup water and the oil until combined and crumbly. Remove the cracker dough and form into a ball and place on a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Roll the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into any shape using a rolling crinkle cutter, and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet, placing the crackers 1-inch apart. Brush some oil on top of the crackers and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Pierce the cracker dough with a fork so they don't puff up. Bake until crisp and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield: about 24 crackers

HOMEMADE GARLICKY CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Place flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and dill in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine or you can mix manually as well. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and vegetable oil and pulse to combine.
• With food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in water until the dough begins to form a ball. Remove dough from food processor and cover with a plastic wrap. Let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll out dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface; thinner than pie crust if possible, thin like crepes works best. Cut the dough into your desired shapes with a cookie cutter, or cut with a knife or pizza cutter and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Let it rest for another 10 minutes.
• Using a toothpick, prick several holes in each cracker. Don't skip this step; you will not have nice, flat crackers if you skip.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush the tops with remaining melted butter, and immediately sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Remove from baking sheets and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
• While crackers cool, prepare cheese topping: Mix mascarpone, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses with parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Sprinkle over crackers and serve.

FARMHOUSE-FRESH HOMEMADE CRACKERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour and next four ingredients; set aside.
• In separate bowl, beat egg and oil, then stir into dry ingredients just until it forms a COARSE meal.
• Add the water as needed--1 tablespoon at a time--until dough comes together and can be formed into a ball.
• On lightly floured table, cut dough-ball in half (set one aside).
• Shape dough into a 12x12 square (use your hands), wrap with plastic; chill for 30 minutes; repeat with other dough-ball.
• Preheat oven to 375; lightly oil TWO baking sheets, then dust with flour.
• Roll out one dough square (retain it's shape as best you can), to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick throughout.
• THINNER will be crispier, more delicate.
• THICKER will be heartier, hold up to heavier toppings or dippings.
• Lightly prick every half-inch or so--all over--then sprinkle with additional salt, pepper or other flavorings (see variations below), then roll once or twice more--very lightly to press toppings into the dough.
• Cut the dough into desired shapes --
• -- One-inch squares for tiny snack crackers.
• -- Two x three for appetizer crackers.
• -- skinny "straws" for breadsticks.
• -- Six equal pieces for "flatbread" crackers.
• -- Cookie cutters for round, stylish, uniform shapes.
• Transfer to prepared baking pans; bake for 8 - 20 minutes (thickness depends).until uniformly browned.
• Check crackers after 8 minutes; ones along the edge may be ready sooner.
• Cool completely, store in an airtight tin.
• These will also freeze nicely; defrost at room temp for 2 hours.
• VARIATIONS:.
• Cheese Crackers -- add 3°C shredded cheese (Cheddar, Asiago, Parmesan or any combination), along with 1/4°C ground almonds, 1 tsp dry mustard after mixing the wet with the dry ingredients.
• Rosemary & Olive Oil Crackers -- Replace canola with olive oil, add 1 tsp rosemary after adding water.
• Sesame, Poppyseed, & Onion Crackers -- Saute 1°C onion, 1 tsp salt in 1 T veg oil over med-hi heat until very brown; cool slightly, add BEFORE water. Before cutting, top the dough with 2 T. EACH poppy and sesame seeds, along with the salt.