Graham Crackers Alton Brown Food

GRAHAM CRACKERS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, flour, brown sugar and graham flour. Pulse to combine. Add very cold butter and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Add molasses, milk and vanilla. Pulse until a smooth dough forms. Press dough into a 1/2" thick disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll dough between sheets of parchment to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 2x2" squares with a pizza cutter (or an accordion cutter, if you have one). Prick each cracker 3 times with the tines of a fork (or a docking roller if you have one). Remove irregular edges and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes until the color has gotten slightly paler. Allow to cool completely IN THE PAN. Store in zip top bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 14 days.

SOURDOUGH CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cheese powder and salt together in a small bowl.
• Place 3 tablespoons of the butter and the starter in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and work on low speed until creamy and homogeneous, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and sift the flour mixture over the creamed starter, return the mixer to low and work until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute more.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Press each piece into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle and wrap in individual pieces of plastic wrap. Refrigerate between 8 and 24 hours (see Cook's Note).
• Place two racks nearest the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Retrieve one piece of dough from the refrigerator and dust both the dough and your pasta maker with flour. (Continue to dust the pasta roller and the dough as needed to prevent sticking.) Starting on the widest setting, typically labeled "1," feed the dough through the roller. Then fold the dough into thirds, as you would a letter, turn 90 degrees and run it through again. Fold the dough into thirds again, turn, and pass it through the roller.
• Adjust your pasta maker to the next setting and roll the dough through 3 times without folding. Repeat this step 3 times more on both the 3rd and 4th settings. Transfer the dough to one of the prepared half-sheet pans and repeat the process with the remaining dough, arranging two sheets of dough per pan.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and brush onto the dough. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Dock the dough thoroughly with a fork and cut into 1-inch squares with a pizza wheel.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the pans 180 degrees and rotate from top to bottom. Continue baking until the crackers just begin to brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the crackers on the parchment to a rack to cool completely before serving, about 20 minutes.
• Lid tightly and store at room temperature.
• To begin: Mix together 125 grams flour and 125 grams water with a clean hand in a medium glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit undisturbed at room temperature until the mixture is full of bubbles and has nearly doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 days. During this time, yeasts and bacteria from the air and from the flour and probably from you will set up housekeeping in the bowl (see Cook's Note).
• For daily feeding: Peel back any crust that may have formed and transfer 20% of the culture (50 grams) to a clean, wide-mouthed jar. Stir in 100 grams flour and 100 grams water, loosely screw on the lid and stash at room temperature for 24 hours. (The culture will have a stinky-sour smell at this point.) Discard the rest of the original mixture.
• Repeat step 2 every 24 hours for 5 days. By then the culture should smell yeasty-sweet-sour, which means you're ready to put the starter to work. The cheese crackers are to be made with the discarded percentage of starter.

SEEDY CRISPS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl whisk together both flours, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt, and baking powder. Add the oil and stir until combined. Add the water and stir to combine and create a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 to 5 times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For a thin snacking cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough to 1/16-inch and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. If there is room on the sheet pan, repeat with a second piece of dough. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 4 minutes then flip and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. When cool, break into desired size pieces. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
• For a thicker dipping cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as above but to 1/8-inch thick. Bake for 6 minutes on the first side, then flip and bake another 4 to 6 minutes.
• For super even thickness and easy rolling: Roll out using a lightly floured pasta roller. Flatten the dough until it will pass through the first setting and go to the highest number that your pasta roller will allow without tearing the dough. Bake according to the thin cracker instructions.
• Note: Baking times will vary depending on exact thickness of dough and oven temperature, so watch them closely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

STRAWBERRY PEPPER ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang in each direction to completely cover the top. Measure out 2/3 cup of the strawberry preserves. Set both aside.
• Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high until fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and lemon zest and beat until combined, about 30 seconds more. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Swap the paddle for the whisk and whip 1/2 cup of the cream along with the powdered sugar on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold into the cream cheese mixture and transfer to a zip-top bag.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared loaf pan with a layer of graham crackers. Snip the corner of the zip-top bag and pipe in approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture and smooth with a spoon or spatula. (It's totally fine to eyeball this; just know you'll end up with 6 cream layers.) Top with about 3 tablespoons of preserves (again, it's fine to eyeball), followed by 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and another layer of whipped cream.
• Continue layering-crackers, whipped cream, preserves, pepper, whipped cream, crackers-until you have 4 layers of graham crackers (see Cook's Notes). Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cake and refrigerate 8 hours and up to 24.
• When ready to serve, whip the remaining 1 cup cream in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks have almost formed. Drop the mixer to low and work in the remaining 1/3 cup strawberry preserves and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Boost the speed back to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
• Pull back the plastic wrap and invert the cake onto a serving dish. Remove the plastic wrap completely and frost with the strawberry whipped cream. Slice and serve immediately.

GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• Place both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the molasses, milk and vanilla extract and process until the dough forms a ball, approximately 1 minute. Press the ball into a 1/2-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a large piece of parchment paper and top with a second sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is 1/8-inch thick. Slide the rolled dough and parchment paper onto a half sheet pan. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut the dough, using a rolling pizza cutter into 2-inch square pieces, by making vertical and then horizontal cuts all the way across the dough. Trim off any excess. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the dough. Leave the crackers on the pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes or until the edges just start to darken. Remove from the oven, set the sheet pan with the crackers on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once completely cool, break into individual crackers and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

HEALTHIER GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, yogurt, and brown sugar. Press mixture firmly into a 9 inch pie pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• Combine all the dry ingredients, then cut in butter and shorting.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients together, except extra sugar, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir to combine then form into a ball and place into the fridge for a while (I did about 30 minutes). Note you may need to add more molasses or honey if you feel the dough it not coming together well.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll dough out onto a floured surface until thin, then cut into about 16 rectangles. If the dough cracks, just press it together with your fingers.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes OR until lightly browned and crisp. This really matter on how thin you roll the dough.
• If desired, sprinkle the tops with extra sugar before baking, pressing the sugar onto the tops of the squares with the rolling pin to adhere the sugar. Also this dough tends to crack a lot, that's okay, just press it back together with your fingers.

GRAHAM CRACKER CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATION

Steps:

• Take 3 graham cracker sheets (rectangle) and break into squares. Place one square for your base and top with a squirt of frosting. Add another square on top. Repeat 5-6 times for your tree trunk base. Now squirt an X on the top square layer. With your remaining graham sheets, first break into squares, then cut on the diagonal to make several triangles. It is easier to cut with a serrated knife. Take two triangles and place them on your trunk base in the frosting X. Repeat with two more triangles. Use more frosting to line your sides for extra strength (like you would for a gingerbread house). I used 8 triangles total. Line each edge with frosting. Decorate before the frosting sets. A quick and easy thing for kids to make - and eat!

SEEDED CRACKERS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Combine in a medium bowl: both flours, both seeds, salt, baking powder. Stir well. Stir in oil. Add water and stir until just combined.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board. Knead a few times, to ensure dough is evenly mixed and smooth. Cut into 8 pieces and cover with a towel 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Flatten one dough ball and pass through a pasta roller at the widest setting. Reduce the pasta roller and continue rolling through and tightening down until dough is about 1/8" thick. Place dough sheet on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using pizza cutter, cut sheets into 2x2" squares, removing any leftover irregular edges. Bake 8-12 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Store in a zip top bag with as much air removed as possible. Use within 2 week.s.

GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.
• Cover and chill dough until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 0.125 inch thickness.
• Cut into rectangles.
• Place 1/2 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp.
• Edges will be golden brown.
• Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.