Make your own crackers

The cheese board with home-made crackers Image by: CRAIG SCOTT

Hilary Biller shows you how to make easy crackers for your cheese board.

LEMON CRACKERS

Makes about 36

Ingredients:

125g parmesan, freshly grated

100g cake flour

Zest of 1 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

65g butter, cubed

Juice of a lemon

30ml (2 tbsp) water

Method:

Combine the parmesan, flour, lemon zest and black pepper in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the lemon juice and water and mix to form a soft dough. Roll into a sausage shape about 28cm long. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to slice. Cut the dough into 6mm-thick slices and arrange well apart on greased or sprayed baking trays. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.

PARMESAN CRISPS

Makes about 12

Ingredients:

125g parmesan, finely grated

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Method:

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Toss the parmesan and chilli together and spoon small mounds onto the paper at regular intervals, then flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 3-6 minutes until melted and golden. Carefully remove from the paper while still warm and cool on wire racks.

SESAME WAFERS

Makes about 60

Ingredients:

100g ( cup) soft brown sugar

185ml ( cup) butter, softened

1 extra-large egg

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

250ml (1 cup) sesame seeds, toasted

200g cake flour, sifted

2.5ml ( tsp) baking powder

5ml (1 tsp) salt

Method:

Cream together the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla essence. Stir in the sesame seeds, flour, baking powder and salt. Drop half-teaspoonfuls of the dough well apart on greased or sprayed baking trays, allowing room for spreading. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 10 minutes. Remove from the trays and cool on wire racks.

OAT BISCUITS

Makes about 18

Ingredients:

185g raw oats

185g self-raising flour

2.5ml ( tsp) salt

50g ( cup) caster sugar

90g butter

50ml milk

Method:

Process the oats finely in a blender or food processor and mix with the flour, salt and sugar. Rub in the butter. Add the milk and mix to form a stiff dough. Roll out thinly and cut into 6cm rounds. Place well apart on greased or sprayed baking trays and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.

#crackers #happies #homemade