Sweet & Savory Crackers ~ #BreadBakers

"If I tell you there's cheese on the moon, bring the crackers." - Tyronn Lue 

Our theme this month for Bread Bakers is Crackers.  This is a first for me as I have never had the inclination to make crackers before.  That is why being in this group is a good thing - it pushes to me get out of my comfort zone and try new things. Well that, and the fact that it is an amazing group of bakers who teach me something new each time we bake together.

Th original recipe called for raisins, but I much prefer dates. I just love the sweet caramel taste of dates and they paired so well with the saltiness of the sunflower seeds and the savory addition of rosemary.  And see that pastry crimper?  It was a gift from a friend in Boston (thanks Christine!) and if you are ever in the area go and visit her antique, unique, retro, & vintage goods store, Salvage Chic. 

If I had known crackers were this easy to make I would have made them years ago.  These were so easy to put together that I actually wondered where I had done wrong. It turns out the only mistake I made was to not keep a closer eye on them as they were baking - they can quickly burn.  A few crackers in my first batch got a bit too dark, so I made sure with the second batch that I reduced the bake time.  A few in the second batch also had edges that were too dark for my liking so I have adjusted the recipe by reducing the temperature and the baking time as listed below.  The moral of the story is to keep your eye on them.  If you can smell the crackers then run, don't walk, to your oven and get them out as they are starting to burn. I would also suggest that you at least double the recipe unless you don't want to share.

If you would like to know more about #BreadBakers and see what the other bakers made for the Cracker theme please scroll down below the recipe.

Sweet & Savory Crackers
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

• 130g (1¼ cups) blanched almond flour
• 5ml (½ tablespoon) olive oil
• 25ml (2 tablespoons) cold water
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 50g (3 tablespoons) dates
• 20g (4 teaspoons) sunflower seeds
• 1 sprig rosemary

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 325℉.
2. Place all of the ingredients, except for 5g (1 teaspoon) of sunflower seeds, in a food processor and grind until combined thoroughly. 
3. Add the remaining 15G (3 teaspoons) of sunflower seeds, and pulse once until they are roughly chopped (you should have a fairly lumpy dough where you can see bits of dates and sunflower seeds).
4. Remove the dough and form it into a ball with your hands.
5. Place the ball between two sheets of parchment paper, then roll the dough to a 3mm (⅛ inch) thickness with a rolling pin.
6. Remove the top sheet of parchment and, using a pastry cutter, cut the dough into one large square, then into smaller squares. Save the scraps and re-roll it to get more crackers.
7. Carefully transfer the parchment piece to a cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pan once, until golden - keep an eye on them as they can quickly burn.
9. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully break the crackers apart.
10. Alternatively, dehydrate on a low setting for 24 hours. Flip the crackers over half way through.
11. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks. 

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Mahalo to Sue from Palatable Pastime for hosting this month and coming up with our theme - Crackers.

And don’t forget to check out all the crunchy crackers baked by our talented bakers ~

• Coconut Cheese Crackers from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Crispy Homemade Cheddar Crackers from Palatable Pastime
• Dried Fruit Crackers from Cook's Hideout
• Easy Homemade Oyster Crackers from Food Lust People Love
• Garlicky Chickpea Flour Crackers from Ambrosia
• Sourdough Crackers with Chilli and Garlic from Sonlicious
• Sourdough Crackers with Gruyère and Thyme from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Spicy Popcorn Crisps from What Smells So Good?
• Sweet & Savory Crackers from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Vegan Whole Wheat Crackers from Sneha's Recipe