Okay, so I tried making whole wheat crackers today, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a journey. I thought, “How hard can it be, right?” Well, it wasn’t super difficult, but it definitely wasn’t as easy as buying a box from the store.
First, I gathered all the stuff I needed. We’re talking whole wheat flour, obviously. Then some salt, a bit of sugar, baking powder, and some cold butter. Oh, and water, can’t forget that.
Mixing It Up
I dumped the dry ingredients into a big bowl – you know, the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. I gave them a good whisk to make sure everything was mixed evenly.
Next came the butter. I cut it into small pieces and tossed it into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Then, using my fingers, I started to rub the butter into the flour mixture. The goal here was to get a crumbly texture. It took a while, and honestly, my hands got pretty tired, but I kept going until it looked like coarse breadcrumbs.
Then, slowly, I started adding water, a little bit at a time. I mixed it in with a fork until the dough started to come together. It was a bit tricky to get the right consistency. Too much water and it would be too sticky, too little and it would be too dry and crumbly. I think I got it right, eventually.
Rolling and Baking
Once the dough was formed, I turned it out onto a lightly floured surface. I kneaded it a few times, just to bring it together a bit more. Then came the fun part – rolling it out.
I dusted my rolling pin with flour and started rolling the dough. The recipe said to roll it out really thin, like, super thin. I tried my best, but it wasn’t easy. The dough kept sticking, and I had to keep adding more flour to the surface and the rolling pin.
Finally, after what felt like forever, I managed to roll it out thin enough. I then used a pizza cutter to cut the dough into little squares. You could use a knife too, but the pizza cutter was easier.
I carefully transferred the squares onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pricked each square a few times with a fork – apparently, this helps them bake evenly and prevents them from puffing up too much.
- Popped them into a preheated oven.
- Baked for about 15-20 minutes.
- Kept an eye on them to make sure they didn’t burn.
The Result
When they were done, they were golden brown and crispy. I let them cool on a wire rack for a bit.
And finally, the moment of truth – the taste test. They were actually pretty good! They were definitely more rustic and, well, “wheaty” than store-bought crackers. But they had a nice crunch and a good flavor. I tried them with some cheese and it was a solid snack.
Would I make them again? Maybe. It was a fun experiment, but it was also a lot of work. I think next time I have a cracker craving, I might just head to the store. But hey, at least I can say I’ve made my own whole wheat crackers from scratch!
