Alright, let me tell you about my attempt at making some whole wheat rice crackers recently. I was looking for a healthier snack, something crunchy, you know? And I thought, why not try making my own?
Getting Started
So, first things first, I went digging in my pantry. Found the whole wheat flour, check. Had some brown rice flour too, perfect. I figured that combination would give a nice texture and flavor. I also grabbed:
- Some olive oil
- Water
- Salt (just regular table salt)
- A handful of sesame seeds because I like that extra crunch
Nothing too fancy, really. Just basic stuff I usually have around.
Mixing it Up
I got out a decent sized bowl. Tossed in the whole wheat flour, the brown rice flour, the salt, and the sesame seeds. Gave that a quick whisk with a fork just to mix the dry bits together.
Then, I made a little well in the middle. Poured in a splash of olive oil and started adding water, just a little bit at a time. I used my hands to mix it all together. Didn’t want to add too much water at once, you know? Kept mixing and adding water slowly until it formed a kind of rough dough ball. It wasn’t super smooth, a bit sticky, but it held together.
Rolling and Cutting
Now for the part that usually tests my patience: rolling it out thin. Thin is key for crispy crackers. I learned that the hard way before. I tore off two big sheets of parchment paper. Plopped the dough ball onto one sheet, put the other sheet on top. This stops it sticking to the rolling pin and makes cleanup way easier.
I rolled it out pretty aggressively, trying to get it as thin as I possibly could without tearing it. It took a bit of effort. Once it was thin enough, I peeled off the top layer of parchment paper. I used a pizza cutter – works great for this – and just cut the dough into rough squares. No need for perfection here, rustic is good!
Baking Time
I carefully slid the bottom parchment paper with the cut dough onto a large baking sheet. Preheated my oven, I think it was around 375°F (about 190°C). Popped the baking sheet in.
You really have to watch crackers when they bake. They go from pale to burnt pretty fast. I set a timer for maybe 10 minutes first. Checked them, they were starting to get golden around the edges. I think I baked them for about 15-20 minutes in total? The timing really depends on how thin you rolled them. The thinner ones cooked faster. You want them golden brown and firm.
The Result
Pulled them out of the oven and let them cool right there on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. They crisp up more as they cool down.
And the verdict? They were actually really good! Properly crispy, nice nutty flavor from the whole wheat and rice flour, and the sesame seeds added a nice touch. They weren’t perfectly uniform, some were thicker than others, but even the slightly thicker ones had a decent crunch. Definitely a success, and much better than feeling guilty about store-bought snacks. Felt good to make them myself.
