Seeded Crackers Alton Brown Food

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.

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.

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.

ALTON BROWN 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.

ALTON BROWN'S DAIRY-FREE CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Fill a 4-quart saucepan with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Add chocolate chips and liqueur to a medium metal mixing bowl and set the bowl over the simmering water. Stir with a rubber or silicone spatula until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture, and honey in a blender or food processor and spin until smooth (about 1 minute).
• Pour the filling evenly over the crust, smoothing the top as necessary. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling sets firm.

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.

LAVASH - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Whisk together salt, sugar, and flour.
• In another bowl, beat egg, 2 tbsp melted butter and water.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients all at once. Stir together with a clean hand. Once dough is fully combined, turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and glossy. Cut dough into thirds. Cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.
• Brush the UNDERSIDE of a half-sheet baking pan liberally with butter. Press one dough ball into the center of the pan and roll out until it covers about 2/3 of the pan. Carefully stretch dough all the way around the pan, pulling it over the edge and pressing into place.
• Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. If baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate top-to-bottom and front-to-back halfway through. If baking one sheet at a time, be sure sheet pan is fully cool before prepping the next dough ball. Cool completely on a rack. Break into shapes and serve.

PICKLED PORK - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Combine mustard seeds, celery seeds, bay leaf, peppercorns, hot sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and water in a saucepan. Place over medium-high heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, and maintain for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and add ice.
• Cut pork butt into 2" cubes. Place in a large zip top bag. When the brine is cool, pour it in as well. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 days, turning bag a couple of times a day.
• Keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator; after that, drain and freeze. Note that this is NOT edible as is; it still has to be cooked!

SEEDED CRACKERS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
• Make the topping:.
• In a small bowl, stir the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and fennel or caraway seeds. Fill another small bowl with water and set it aside along with a pastry brush and the kosher salt.
• Make the dough:.
• In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and table salt. Add the olive oil and 1/2 cup water to the flour; stir with a rubber spatula until it collects into a soft, crumbly ball of dough. Use the spatula or your hands to press the dough against the sides of the bowl to gather all the stray flour.
• Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface and portion it into thirds. Pat each portion into a square. Set two squares aside and cover with a clean towel. Roll the remaining dough into a rectangle about 1/16 inch thick and 7 or 8 inches wide by 14 or 15 inches long. Whenever you feel resistance, lift up one edge of the dough and sprinkle more flour underneath before you continue rolling.
• With a pastry brush, brush the dough lightly with water and sprinkle about a third of the seed mix evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoons of the kosher salt. With a dough scraper, pizza cutter, ravioli cutter, or sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut across to make rectangles roughly 2 by 4 inches. Don't bother trimming the edges; rustic edges add character.
• Transfer to an unlined baking sheet. Bake until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• While each batch is baking, clean your work surface as needed and repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining portions of dough. Store the cooled crackers in a zip-top plastic bag. They'll keep for up to a week.
• Variations.
• Rosemary & Sea Salt Crackers: Add 2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary to the dry ingredients in the dough. Skip the seed topping and instead sprinkle each batch of crackers with 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt.