Homemade crackers?

[Science Chick]

I've got this compulsion to make my own crackers, but am a novice. Any good recipes out there hounds? I'm looking for a nice base recipe that I can work with, preferably with some whole wheat and a bit of sweetness and maybe buttermilk. Use of vegetable oil over shortening is a plus.

[Mrs. Smith]

Hi Science Chick!

Crackers are hard to make but very rewarding. The best modern book I've seen on them is the Fannie Farmer Baking book by Marion Cunningham. She has many varieties of them, including a triticale, whole wheat, and various flavored crax.

Are you good at rolling things out? Making crackers is like making pasta without benefit of the roller. Although, that is an idea. I wonder if cracker dough would go through an Atlas? Hmmmmm, but I digress.

You're going to have to roll really thin to get a good cracker, and it's to my mind very frustrating. There are some more rustic, thicker crackers, usually involving a strong cheese, that are easier to make. Investigate the FF Baking Book -- (I'll bet you can find it online for a very few dollars) -- and see if any of her recipes appeal to you.

And work on your upper body strength and your patience! What a neat idea -- I gave up on homemade crackers quite a while ago, and haven't heard any discussion about it in a while. Thanks for bringing it up.

Anybody out there a pro cracker-baker?

[Marcia]

No, Mrs. Smith, I'm not a great cracker maker, but I have made Cunningham's oat crackers from the Fanny Farmer Baking book. It's an excellent book, but she instructs one to roll out the crackers in a rectangle which I think is simply not possible. Mine have been free-form at best. Good crackers, though.
And I do know that an Atlas has been successfully used to roll out some types of cracker dough, but not by me.

[cookiemonster]

It's possible to roll your dough out into a rectangle. Form your dough into a rectangle, tapping the sides on the counter to square off the corners.
On an evenly floured surface (I keep a large-holed saltshaker full of flour on hand for this purpose), roll your dough out (flouring the surface of the dough too), and give it a quarter turn after each rolling. Don't be afraid to knead the dough a little to soften it if it's been chilled, and don't be afraid to really flour the surface. You can always use a pastry brush to clean up later. Peter Reinhart (sp?) has a great cracker recipe in The Bread Baker's Apprentice--not with me at work but I could post it tomorrow if you haven't found one you like.

[Marcia]

Forgot to say, thanks, I know we'd all appreciate the recipe.

[Marcia]

I replied yesterday and the post didn't make it through somehow.
Anyhow, thanks cookiemonster for the useful advise. The particular crackers to which I was refering, consist of rolled oats, salt and water and that dough is especially difficult. I can roll things into a rectangle (well, more or less)with a wheat based dough. The point of these crackers, however, is that they are wheat free, and quite good besides.

[Nancy Berry]

There's a recipe just like the one you described at the link below. I haven't made these but the recipe looks like it's worth a try.

Link: http://www.recipesource.com/munchies/...

[science chick]

this looks like just the ticket. Probably try in a week or so (once all the store boughts are gone in the house!). I'll report back in...........thanks for all the input...particularly the suggestion about using my Atlas (now where is it?????).

[cochradl]

I am looking for a recipe to make a "triscuit" type cracker- anyone have one ?

thanks in advance