It was the high price of fancy crackers that inspired Sandy Loomis to bake her own. In most grocery stores, a 5.3-ounce box of dried fruit and nut crisps costs close to $10.
Loomis researched these expensive treasures and tailored her own recipe. Her crackers go perfectly with soft cheeses and are the perfect pupu to take to a party.
Rosemary leaves add a savory tone and are a key ingredient. Plumped raisins, pumpkin seeds and toasted pecans add flavor and texture. Binding them together is buttermilk mixed with top-quality all-purpose and whole-wheat flours. Loomis makes her own buttermilk substitute by adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk.
Her procedure requires first baking mini-loaves that look like heavy bread, then freezing the loaves. Thin slices are later cut from the frozen loaves and baked. This twice-baked method results in beautiful crisps. Her results are a dead ringer for store-bought crackers at a fraction of the cost.
“They have a strong rosemary flavor, so I recommend serving them with a plain soft cheese like brie, Camembert or a double-cream,” Loomis says. “An herbed cheese will clash with the rosemary.”
Allow two days for this project, as the freezing part is key. Loomis freezes the loaves overnight to achieve the firmness needed to use a deli slicer, which produces results she prefers to a knife.
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Uniformity of the slices is one technique to achieving crispiness, she said. If the slices vary in thickness, they will be done at different times.
For first-timers, Loomis recommends baking the crackers one tray at a time. Because the slices are so thin, you’ll need to watch them “like a hawk,” she said. “They can go from perfect to burnt in a minute.”
Her husband and sons loved the cracker even after her first try, Loomis said, and she’s working on other flavors, experimenting with different flours, herbs, nuts and dried fruits.
One of the best aspects of this recipe is you can keep a frozen loaf in your freezer for months and be prepared for an unexpected party. You’ll have beautiful crisps ready in no time.
ROSEMARY, RAISIN AND PECAN CRISPS
By Sandy Loomis
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mill preferred)
1 cup whole wheat flour (Bob’s Red Mill preferred)
2 cups buttermilk, or substitute 2 scant cups whole or 2 percent milk with 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar mixed in
You’ll need four mini-loaf pans — 4-inch or 5-inch by 2-1/2-inch — plus nonstick coating, parchment paper and a deli-type food slicer (or a good serrated knife).
The day before you want to serve the crackers, prepare the loaves: Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Soak raisins in hot water about 10 minutes. Drain; set aside.
Place pecans on baking sheet and place in the oven until fragrant and toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Roughly chop while still warm. In bowl, mix with pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Set aside.
Coat 4 mini-loaf pans with nonstick spray or butter and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, rosemary, baking soda and salt. Whisk in brown sugar, making sure to break up any clumps. Add buttermilk and fold gently with a spatula until just mixed.
Add raisins, and nut and seed mixture. Stir gently to mix them evenly throughout batter. Do not over-mix.
Divide batter evenly among loaf pans, filling them about 3/4 full. Transfer on baking sheet to oven. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until tops have risen and turned gold-brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean.
Remove loaves from pans and let cool completely on a rack. Wrap in foil and freeze overnight, or up to three months.
When ready to make the crackers, heat oven to 300 degrees. Remove a loaf from freezer and slice it 1/8-inch thick while it is still frozen, using a deli-type food slicer. If using a knife (serrated is best), defrost loaf partially. Knife-cut slices won’t be as uniform, so watch carefully when baking.
Lay slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes. Rotate top tray with bottom tray. Flip slices and continue baking another 10 to 15 minutes. The crackers are done when they are no longer pale in the middle, feel dry to the touch and are curled slightly at the edges. It’s OK if they are still flexible in the middle; the crackers will crisp significantly as they cool. Transfer crackers to a rack to cool completely, 1 to 2 hours.
Continue baking remaining loaves. Each loaf makes about 32 crackers.
Store crackers in airtight containers or plastic bags to maintain crispness. If they lose their crisp, reheat in a 250-degree oven for just a few minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn.
Approximate nutritional information, per cracker: 25 calories, 50 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g sugar, 1 g protein, 1 g fat, no saturated fat, cholesterol or fiber.
Lynette Lo Tom, author of “The Chinese Kitchen,” is fascinated by old-fashioned foods. Contact her at 275-3004 or via instagram at brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
