Where is Winter?

What a winter we are having here on Blue Mountain Road. Warm daytime temperatures, mostly sunny skies, amazing sunsets, and hardly any snow. But we are getting into the holiday spirit seeing friends at a party at BMoCA, a visit to the show of lights in Fort Collins at the Gardens on Spring Creek with Zoë, and an expedition to the remarkable exhibition “Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak” at the Denver Art Museum.

And I have begun my holiday baking. Each Christmas I prepare special cookies for friends. They go into beautiful boxes Bud has fashioned from discarded prints.

After baking several kinds of holiday cookies, I am ready for something savory. Over the years I have accumulated recipes for homemade crackers and written about them for the blog. Here’s a reminder. They make a delicious gift with a hunk of a favorite cheese.

Thin Wheat Crackers

Combine 1 cup unbleached flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in 1/2 cup milk or enough to make a workable dough. I find I need about 3/4 cup but add slowly. Dough should be pliable but not sticky.

Divide into three pieces and roll, one at a time, extra thin – 1/16 inch if possible – between parchment sheets. Slide bottom parchment with dough onto a baking sheet. Cut with a rotary cutter into 1 x 1/12 inch pieces. Sprinkle lightly with Maldon or other flaky salt, rolling over lightly to press into dough. Bake at 325° for 20 -25 minutes until a little browned. Cool on a rack.

Roseanne’s Seedy Crackers

Combine 1 cup spelt, wheat flour, or your favorite non-gluten flour, 1/4 cup pepitas, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 cup flax seeds, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Stir in 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup grated parmesan (optional but very good). This makes a wet dough but it rolls out easily. 

Divide in two and roll each piece thinly, say 1/8 inch, between sheets of parchment. It will be oily. Lightly score the dough (I use my serrated roller) and slide the dough and bottom parchment onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and firm.  Cool then break apart on the score lines. They may not break evenly but that’s part of their charm.

Gluten-free Crackers

In the food processor combine 1 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons raisins, 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Whizz until thoroughly combined then add 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds and pulse once until roughly chopped. 

Form into a ball and roll between sheets of parchment until 1/8 inch thick. Use a serrated cutter, pizza cutter or a knife to score into 1 inch squares. 

Transfer paper to baking sheet and bake at 350° for 15 – 20 minutes until set and golden.  Cool on a rack for 15 minutes then carefully break apart.

Sending good wishes to you for this holiday season. Thank you for reading How I Learned to Cook, an Artists Life. Cheerio!