Pear And Cheddar Topped Crackers With Cracked Pepper Food

SALT AND PEPPER CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until blended, for approximately 30 seconds. Sift the flour and cornstarch together in a bowl, and then add to the mixer and mix until the ingredients all come together. Finally, sprinkle over the black pepper and mix again. Tip the dough out onto a board and form it into 2 discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter, approximately 12-by-15-inch in size, and dust with flour. When the dough has rested, unwrap the first ball, put on top of the parchment paper, flour the surface of the dough and rolling pin and roll out to a 9-inch diameter circle, 1/16-inch thick.
• Trim the circle into an 8-by-8-inch square, discarding the scraps. Then cut down in 2-inch strips and across in 2-inch strips, making sixteen 2-by-2-inch squares. Using a small offset spatula, place the squares on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle a pinch of flaked sea salt over each cracker. Repeat the process with the second dough ball.
• Bake for 18 minutes. Do not allow the crackers to brown; check your oven sooner if it runs hot. Set aside to cool for 20 to 25 minutes before packaging up.

HOMEMADE CHEDDAR CRACKERS

Steps:

• Put the Cheddar, flour, butter, salt, seasoned salt and cayenne in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into squares with a pizza cutter. Use a wooden skewer to poke a small hole in the center of each square. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool before packing up.

PEAR PASTE AND CHEDDAR CRACKERS

Steps:

• Core and chop pears, put into a saucepan with the lemon juice and half of the cores (make sure you dont have any seeds).
• Barely cover the pears with water; simmer until pears are soft.
• Puree the pears in a food processor, and return pears to a clean saucepan. Add the sugar and cook until very thick, make sure you are stirring regularly.
• Pour the mixture into a lined deep baking tray and leave to firm at room temperature. Cut into pieces and serve with cheddar cheese and water crackers.

CHEDDAR-PARMESAN CRACKERS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, place all ingredients except the butter and water. Pulse 5 times. Add the butter and pulse again until the butter pieces are the size of BBs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough holds together. If the dough is still crumbly, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
• Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log, 9 to 10 inches long, and square off the ends. Refrigerate, well wrapped, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Or freeze it for up to 1 month. (You may want to cut the log in half or in thirds to freeze if you think you will want to defrost a smaller amount at a time.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• To make the crackers, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet 1-inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden color. Turn the crackers and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until they are golden around the edges. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.

ROSEMARY AND PEPPER CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, Parmesan, rosemary, pepper, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Add the 1/4 cup heavy cream and process until the dough forms a ball. If a ball does not form, add more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, and process until the dough comes together.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Pat the dough out in into a flat rectangle, then lightly flour the dough and roll it out until it is a little less than 1/4-inch thick and about 12-by-8-inches in size. Cut the dough into squares or rectangles and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, gently pressing the salt into the surface of the crackers.
• Bake until light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

PEAR AND CHEDDAR CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Toss pears with lemon juice in a bowl. Combine 1/2 cup light brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cloves together in a separate bowl. Add sugar mixture to pear mixture; toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle pear mixture with Cheddar cheese.
• Combine flour and 1/2 cup light brown sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumb consistency. Sprinkle topping over Cheddar cheese layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Add the flour, both cheeses, salt and cayenne to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until combined.
• Scatter the cold butter chunks on top, and pulse again to form coarse crumbs.
• Add egg yolk, pecans and seeds, and pulse to combine thoroughly, yielding a coarse grainy meal.
• Transfer mixture to a large stainless-steel bowl. Sprinkle the ice water on top, and knead briefly to bring the dough together, as you would a pie dough.
• Divide the dough into thirds, and roll each into a neat, 8-inch-long cylinder that is about the width of a silver dollar. Wrap each log in plastic wrap, and twist the ends tightly in opposite directions, forming a perfect and compact torchon. Refrigerate until well chilled and completely firm; overnight is ideal.
• Heat the oven to 375. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Unwrap the dough, discarding plastic wrap, and slice the logs into thin coins, each about the width of a pencil.
• Arrange the coins in neat rows on the prepared sheets, making sure they're not quite touching one another. This dough won't expand or flatten after baking.
• Bake until golden at their centers and just starting to toast at their edges, about 20 minutes. Check them midway through baking, and rotate sheets if your oven bakes unevenly.
• Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Once they are fully cooled, transfer coins to an airtight container, where they will keep for up to 3 weeks.

PEAR AND CHEDDAR TOPPED CRACKERS WITH CRACKED PEPPER

Steps:

• Horizontally halve pear slices. On baking sheet arrange crackers. Top crackers with pear pieces and cheese. Broil 4- to 5-inches from heat about 45 seconds or until cheese just begins to melt.

PEPPERY CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
• Place bread flour, polenta, salt, baking soda, paprika, pepper, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add buttermilk. Continue processing until dough just forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few seconds. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Cut dough into quarters. Using 1 piece at a time, roll out dough 1/16 inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour. Keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap.
• Using a 1 3/4-inch fluted round cookie cutter or a small fluted pastry wheel, cut out crackers and place on prepared baking sheet at least 1/2 inch apart. Roll out a second piece of dough 1/16 inch thick and repeat cutting process; place on second prepared baking sheet. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until crackers are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking. Transfer crackers immediately to a wire cooling rack; let cool completely. Repeat process with remaining dough.

CHEESE AND RED PEPPER CRACKERS

Steps:

• Cut cheese diagonally in half; place 1 half on each cracker.
• Place on microwaveable plate; top with peppers.
• Microwave on HIGH 15 to 30 sec. or until cheese is melted.