Seven seed crackers

Name: Seven seed crackers
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 3 large crackers
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 175ml milk; 2 tsp white vinegar (or lemon juice); 300g plain flour; 3 tsp castor sugar; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves; ½ tsp garlic powder; 75g cold butter, cubed

Helen Goh

December 7, 2018

These seed crackers are great with cheese.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursMakes:3 large crackers

These are my kind of Christmas crackers. Great with dips and cheese but tasty on their own, to munch on while reading a book. So much better than anything you can buy and easier to make than you might think – yes, a rolling pin is involved, but the dough doesn't need to be neat and it doesn't matter if it tears. Use any seeds you like – a sprinkle of chilli flakes is also lovely.

Ingredients

175ml milk
2 tsp white vinegar (or lemon juice)
300g plain flour
3 tsp castor sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
½ tsp garlic powder
75g cold butter, cubed

Seeds for sprinkling

2 tbsp black sesame seeds
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp nigella seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp golden flax seeds
½ tsp flaky sea salt

Method

1. Combine the milk with the vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl and set aside at room temperature.
2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder in a food processor and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mix is the consistency of breadcrumbs. Dribble in the milk and vinegar mix and continue to pulse until it forms a dough. (You could also make this by hand: rub the pieces of butter into the flour mix, then add the milk and vinegar and mix to form a dough.)
3. Tip out onto the kitchen bench and knead for a few seconds until smooth. Divide into three balls (they don't need to be exactly the same weight) and wrap loosely in cling film, then press to form three flattened discs. Refrigerate for at least one hour (or up to 2 days).
4. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan-forced).
5. Line two or three baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Combine the seeds and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Lightly dust the kitchen bench with flour and roll out one of the pieces of cold dough as thinly as possible. Carefully roll up the dough with the rolling pin and unroll it onto the lined baking tray.
6. Sprinkle the seeds generously over the entire surface, pressing them in so they stick to the dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough.
7. Cool the crackers completely before serving. I like to place the large sheets of crackers straight onto the table, allowing guests to break off shards for themselves. The crackers keep well for up to 7 days in an airtight container.