Got this idea the other day, wanted something crunchy, you know? And store-bought stuff… well, sometimes you just want to make it yourself. So, whole wheat oyster crackers. Seemed simple enough.
First thing, I pulled out the whole wheat flour. Had some regular all-purpose flour too, figured I’d mix them, maybe half and half, didn’t want it too heavy, you get me? Dumped that in a bowl. Then a bit of salt, maybe half a teaspoon? Eyeballed it mostly. Added a pinch of sugar, just a tiny bit, ’cause why not.
Needed some fat. Butter. Took about, oh, maybe two tablespoons? Cold butter, cut it into small pieces. Worked that into the flour mix with my fingers. Just kept rubbing it until it looked kinda like coarse meal. Took a few minutes, gotta be patient there.
Then the liquid. Ice water. Added it slow, maybe a tablespoon at a time. Just enough so the dough came together. Didn’t want it sticky. Mixed it up with a fork first, then my hands, just until it formed a ball. Didn’t knead it much, crackers don’t need that like bread does.
Wrapped the dough ball in some plastic wrap. Stuck it in the fridge for maybe 30 minutes. Let it chill out. Gives the flour time to soak up the water properly, I guess. And makes it easier to roll.
Okay, time to roll. Pulled the dough out. Put it between two sheets of parchment paper. Saved me cleaning flour off the counter later. Smart move, right? Rolled it out super thin. Like, really thin. Thinner you get it, the crispier the cracker. That’s the goal.
Cutting time. Used a small round cutter, like the cap off something small. Could use a knife to make squares too, whatever works. Punched out little circles. Lots of ’em. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pricked each one with a fork a couple of times. Helps stop them puffing up too much, keeps them flat and crispy.
Slid the baking sheet into the oven. Had it preheated to around 400 degrees F (that’s about 200 C). Watched them close. These little guys bake fast. Maybe 8 to 10 minutes? Pulled them out when they were just starting to get golden brown around the edges. You gotta watch ’em, burn easily.
Let them cool right on the baking sheet for a bit, then moved them to a wire rack to cool completely. They get crispier as they cool down. And yeah, they smelled pretty good. Simple, whole wheat, crunchy little things. Perfect for soup, or just munching. Nothing fancy, just a straightforward bake. Turned out alright.
