Plain Soda Crackers
(One Hundred Crackers)
This is a fine basic recipe that can easily be used to make a number
of other kinds of crackers with the addition of seeds, herbs, and spices.
Cheese, too.
Malt syrup, among the ingredients below, adds to a touch of sweetness,
flavor, and color, but it does so in such a small way in this recipe that I
have made it an option.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
1 package yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup hot water (120°-130° F)
1/2 teaspoon malt syrup, if available
2 Tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 Tablespoons butter, melted, to brush
-Baking Sheet:
One baking sheet to fit the oven, lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.
-By Hand or Mixer - 6 minutes:
Into the mixing or mixer bowl, measure 1 cup flour and the dry
ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the hot water, malt syrup,
and shortening. Stir to blend and pour the liquid into the dry
ingredients; stir vigorously to blend with a wooden spoon or with
the mixer flat beater. Add the balance of flour to make a rough
mass that can be worked under the hands or with a dough hook.
If the dough is sticky, add liberal sprinkles of flour.
-Kneading - 4 minutes:
If by hand, knead with a rythmic push-turn-fold motion until the
dough is soft and elastic. Add sprinkles of flour to control stickiness.
If using a mixer, the dough will form a soft ball around the
revolving dough hook and clean the sides of the bowl. Add flour
if necessary to firm up the dough. Knead only until smooth, about
4 minutes.
-By Processor - 4 minutes:
Attach the steel blade. Measure 1 cup flour and the dry ingredients into the work
bowl. Pulse. Combine the hot water, malt syrup, and shortening,
as above. With the processor on, pour the liquid through the feed
tube. Add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough
becomes a soft elastic mass that will ride on the blade and clean
the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.
-Kneading - 30 seconds:
Process the dough for 30 seconds.
-Refrigeration - 1 hour to overnight:
Drop the dough into buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and
place in the refrigerator to relax - from 1 hour to overnight. The
longer the better, up to 18 hours.
-Preheat:
Preheat the oven to 425° F, 20 minutes before baking.
-Shaping - 10 minutes:
With a heavy rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about
18" x 6" and not thicker than 1/8". Fold the dough from the short
ends, brushing off the excess flour, to make 3 layers. Roll again -
with the rolling pin or through a pasta machine.
Prick the dough with the tines of a fork. Cut the dough along
the edge of a ruler or yardstick with a pizza or cookie cutter into
desired shapes.
Place the crackers close together on the prepared baking sheet.
sprinkle lightly with salt from 12" above the crackers to distribute
salt evenly.
-Baking 425° F, 10 - 20 minutes:
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven until lightly browned and
crisp, depending on the thickness of the crackers. Inspect the
crackers several times during the bake period to make certain
those on the outer edge of the baking sheet are not getting too
brown. If so, shuffle them – out to in.
-Final step:
Brush the crackers with melted butter before removing them from
the baking sheet to cool on a metal rack.
-Variations:
Sesame-onion crackers: Add to the dough, with the dry ingredients,
4 teaspoons each sesame seeds and grated onions.
Herb crackers: 4 teaspoons each chopped fresh parsley and
chives and 1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed.
Caraway seed crackers: 4 teaspoons caraway seeds.
Poppy seed crackers: 2 teaspoons poppy seeds.
Source: “Complete Book of Small Breads”, 1998, pg. 104-106, by Bernard Clayton Jr.