Lavish Crackers
I’ve become a bit obsessed recently with things I can bake and leave around to snack on throughout the week. These things also tend to be super-crunchy and covered with spices and salt. That’s why I made these guys last week.
I’m also fairly certain that Tipsy loves this new obsession of mine because I’ve caught her twice now licking the salt off my baked goods!
These crackers though… I’m telling you that I’m in love with them.
You can put all kinds of fun spices and seeds on them and then bake them in one large sheet and break them up into shards. Man they are good and a snap to make. (Get it? Snap!)
Lavish Crackers
Ingredients
Directions
1) Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the honey, oil, and water. When adding the water, add it slowly and only add as much as you need for the dough to come together.
2) When the dough comes together in a ball, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about ten minutes until it passes the famous windowpane test.
3) Put the tiny ball of dough in an oiled pan and let it ferment (rise) for about 90 minutes.
4) After the 90 minutes is up, the dough will be doubled in volume (or should be) and will be very pliable.
5) Chop it in half!
6) Take one half and slowly roll it out to the length of a sheet pan.
7) Flour both sides of the dough lightly to keep it from sticking and go slowly. You should be able to get this dough almost paper thin.
8) Transfer the dough carefully to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper that has been lightly oiled.
9) Spray the top of the cracker dough with some water and then go crazy with the toppings!
10) Bake about 18 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees (turn the pan half way through to get both sides cooked evenly).
11) Once the cracker is cool, which just takes a few minutes, break it into pieces.
Mix all your dry ingredients together and then add your honey, oil, and water. When adding the water, add it slowly and only add as much as you need for your dough to come together. I didn’t need 1/2 cup of water, but you might. When the dough comes together in a ball, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
A basic dough. Simple stuff.
Knead the dough for about ten minutes until it passes the famous windowpane test. I found this dough to be especially stretchy.
That’s some good windowpane!
Then put your tiny ball of dough in an oiled pan and let it ferment (rise) for about 90 minutes. I like to use spray olive oil for this as it coats the pan evenly and then I spray the top of the dough also to keep it from drying out.
You can use any oil really though. Just make sure there isn’t a pool of oil in the pan. A light coating is enough.
A very smooth dough.
After your 90 minutes is up, the dough will be doubled in volume (or should be) and will be very pliable.
Next thing is to chop it in half! Just half of this dough will make enough cracker to cover a standard half sheet pan.
A little goes a long way here.
Then take one half and slowly roll it out to the length of a sheet pan. Mine ended up being about 12 by 16 inches. Flour both sides of the dough lightly to keep it from sticking and go slowly. You should be able to get this dough almost paper thin.
Then transfer the dough carefully to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper that has been lightly oiled (again I used spray oil).
This is very thin. Almost paper thin.
Now comes the fun part. Spray the top of your cracker dough with some water and then go crazy with the toppings! These are the ones that I decided to use, but really you could use almost anything. It’s okay to use a pretty good dose of spices because some of them will fall off after cooking.
These are some of the spices I grabbed.
Also, if you are a very orderly person and don’t like the idea of shards, you could use a pizza cutter or knife to lightly cut the dough into whatever shape you want and then after it bakes it will easily break into uniform pieces.
Frankly, I despise uniform pieces!
After about 18 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees (turn your pan half way through to get both sides cooked evenly), you’ll end up with a super crunchy cracker layer.
The cooked sheet.
Once the cracker is cool, which just takes a few minutes, you can break it into pieces. Personally I like big shards that have some of each spice on them. But there aren’t any rules. These are crackers people. Go crazy.
Shards are the best.
Just another shot for good measure.
Crunchy and good.
If you make both halves of dough, you’ll end up with a good amount of crackers, but don’t worry. They go quick. Especially if you have a very nosey cat who loves people food.
15 comments on “Lavish Crackers”
These look amazing….I’m going to try them with garlic granules, fresh grated parm-reg and sea salt…..maybe the other half with cinnamon/sugar mixture….great incentive, Nick.
These look really good, I am sure I could eat a whole sheet pans worth in a sitting with some cheese.
Though I am pretty certain that these are lavash crackers not lavish crackers. You’re a silly goose.
@Sara. They are both Lavash and Lavish. Take your pick :)
As an aside, I believe that Google hates me because I make the occasional pun in my post titles…
When I saw the title, I thought for sure you were just going to toast some lavash.
me — a mile —> you.
In general, at least insofar as my understanding, in most cases you are better off using AP flour when recipes in respectable publications (like the BBA, and my fav. Advanced Bread & Pastry) call for it due to a too high protein level in the OTC bread flours here. I believe I came upon this information via a combination of stuff I read in AB&P, reading Joepastry.com and through an email conversation I had with Chuck from the knead for bread.
Apparently King Arthur makes an “Organic Select Artisan” flour of some type that is far superior, but it is only supplied to commercial accounts and must be purchased in 55lb bags. They mention it here:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/professional/organic-sell-sheet.pdf
OH my! Can’t wait to try these, they look delicious!
is it just me?
or are your photos getting betterer and betterer!
(take that, spellcheck!)
Those about like the ones we serve with our cheese plate at work, though we bake them off plain. But they’re tasty none the less. I may have to give this a go this weekend, when I plan to spend some time in the kitchen.
These look like they would go well with a mix of different types of hummus. Make a lil’ party tray for guests would be fun. I will have to try this the next time we have a small gathering, and pair it with Willamette Valley wines.
I’m going to try Old Bay on mine. I think they would be divine snuggled up next to some Hot Crab Dip!
Tried your crackers and we love them. Tried putting the dough thru and pasta maker and now they are even more fun to make. Have to make lots for Canada Day BBQ. Thanks
This crackers are the best!!!! Easy to make, very tasty, tried multiple times for my receptions – they are always gone!
These really look good. I like the idea of picking my own toppings. About how many servings does the recipe make? I’m planning a cheese plate for New Year’s Day and think these would be a really good addition.
Hey Evelyn! Tough to say, but the recipe makes two baking sheet sized large crackers (which you obviously break into smaller bits). I think if you cut them into even sizes you could probably get 60-70 crackers out of a recipe. The recipe doubles really easily also so that’s always an option. They keep really well if you happen to have leftovers so I would err on the side of making more if I were hosting a party. Good luck!
This is one fabulous recipe. VERY definitely a keeper. I made them with the pasta maker per Char’s suggestion. (They just didn’t seem to be rolling out. a bit impatient I guess). So an assortment just with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, pepper and freshly ground pink salt. Yum!
These are a really good cracker and so versatile when you vary the topping(s). They can be paired up with almost anything. LOVE these.