Rosemary Crackers

These simple crackers have a subtle nutty rosemary flavour with a slightly salted top. A wonderful pairing to accompany any cheese board. 

Rosemary Crackers

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1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup chickpea flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup warm water

1/3 cup olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

sea salt, to lightly sprinkle on top, optional

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC) Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine, flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, sesame seeds, and  chopped rosemary. Stir in the water and oil, mixing until a smooth dough has formed. Halve the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a large square, as thin aa you can get it... about 1/4 inch or so, they will puff up a bit more in the oven. You can also roll the dough out on a clean sheet of baking parchment paper. 

Cut rolled out dough into small squares or shapes, by hand or by cutter. Place the shapes on to the prepared baking sheet. Pierce with a fork and lightly sprinkle with the sea salt.

Bake until crackers are dry and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pulling the really brown ones. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. 

Notes: you can add more or less of the sesame seeds or not add them at all, it comes down to personal taste. You may also try using a different oil. I cut the cracker dough into shapes by hand, using a ravioli cutter.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD 

Chocolate Water Biscuits ~ for cheese

Rifling through cookbooks, I stumbled across this recipe from the Adventures with Chocolate cookbook by Paul. A Young. Unusual however very decadent with a variety of cheeses. A subtle cocoa flavour that enhances the cheese board experience any time. 

Chocolate Water Biscuits ~ for cheese

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2 1/4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder, optional

Your choice of spice or herbs, optional 

6 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup ice-cold water, as needed

Place the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, including any flavourings, in a large bowl and mix well. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until evenly combined. Gradually add enough ice water to form a pliable dough; this must not be too sticky, so be careful when adding the water. Knead the dough gently until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest and relax.

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

Roll the dough on a well-floured surface to 1/8 inch thick or thereabouts. Use a round cutter to cut out circles of your preferred size, e.g. a 1 inch cutter for canapé-sized biscuits, or 2 inches for cheese biscuits; alternatively, use a sharp knife to cut into squares or rectangles. Prick each biscuit with a fork. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, about 10 - 12 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

Notes: I found that I needed to add a bit more ice cold water than the recipe stated.

It was great to have such a nice break. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD