Appetizers, Bread, Savoury Snacks

Raincoast Crackers

jennyrsutton

I love these crackers and buy them whenever I can get them – mainly in Canada. Hard to come by in Singapore, and expensive. So I decided to make them at home. The first batch turned out well, but next time I will try increasing the fruit and nuts (original quantities in the recipe below).

Makes about 80 (approximately 5 store-bought packets) – would be more if I had smaller loaf pans. Keeps in an airtight container.

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup (85 grams)
  • 1 cup dried fruit
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
  • ¼ cup flax seeds (optional)
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Add buttermilk and honey.
  4. Gently fold in dried fruit and nuts.
  5. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 180C for about 35 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
  6. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Slice the loaves as thin as possible and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
  8. Reduce the temperature to 160C, and bake for about 15 minutes.
  9. Flip each cracker and return to the oven for an additional 10 – 15 minutes (remove as soon as the edges begin to significantly darken, even if the time is not up)

Nut + Fruit Combinations:

  • Almond and apricot
  • Fig and hazelnut
  • Rosemary, raisin and pecan (1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary)
  • Fig and olive
  • Cranberry and hazelnut

Other tips:

  • Plump the dried fruit by soaking in a cup of boiling water before draining and using
  • No need to chop the nuts, slicing will distribute them through the crackers
  • No buttermilk? Make your own buttermilk substitute by combining 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Give it a stir and let it sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes. When the mixture thickens a bit and you see a bit of curdling, it’s all set to go.
  • If you have a wire cooling rack that fits inside or over a sheet pan, you can do the final baking without having to flip the cracker. Just watch them carefully after about 15 minutes, as they will take a few minutes less to crisp up.

Adapted from: http://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/01/27/rosemary-raisin-pecan-crisps/

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