Recipe: Hardtack (2) for Nao

Hardtack Recipe

What you will need:
Large Bowl
Butter or margarine for greasing:
Dry-ingredient measurincups
Baking sheet
PAM
Measuring spoons
Paper towel for greasing
Liquid measuring cup
Wooden spoon
Table knife
Toothpick
Pot holders
Spatula

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 2/3 cups water

What You Do:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In bowl, combine 5 cups flour, 1-tablespoon salt, 1-tablespoon baking powder, and water. Stir mixture with wooden spoon. Wash your hands then squeeze the mixture with your fingers.

Place a large dab of butter or margarine on the paper towel and use it to grease the baking sheet.

Flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Use table knife to lightly trace lines into dough to divide it into squares 3 inches by 3 inches (8 centimeters by 8 centimeters). Use toothpick to prick holes all the way through and across the entire surface of the dough.

Bake 25 minutes or until lightly brown Let cool 10 minutes. Remove baked hardtack from the baking sheet with a metal spatula.

Makes 9 crackers

WARNING: DO NOT eat hardtack without first dipping it into milk or hot chocolate. Dry hardtack may break your teeth.

Hardtack is the most famous American Civil War staple food. Hard as a rock, this cracker was easily made by large contract baking companies to the bane of many a Civil War soldier. As Mike Bilbo states, it is more aptly called "digestible leather". It was also affectionately known by the men as "angel cakes, teeth dullers or ammo reserves". But it was also issued, and stored by the men for marching. Carrying a piece of hardtack around in your haversack would serves as a good living history discussion piece for the public. Rumor is, some hardtack made during the Civil War was re-issued and used during the Spanish American war almost 35 years later!

Hardtack Recipe by Kathy Kleiman (MCHA Co. E)

6 parts flour
1 part water

Knead dough until thoroughly mixed. Roll out on a floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick (or there abouts). Cut into squares--there is an actual size piece of hardtack pictured in Hard Tack & Coffee by Billings (p. 114 in my edition), seems to be about 2 3/4 by 3 1/2 inches. His piece of hardtack was small and I've seen larger ones. Probably due to whatever contractor made the hard tack.

Pierce the hard tack 13 times with the tip of a knife, making sure hole goes all the way through the dough. The Tinsmiths sutler makes a hardtack "cookie" mold that is just great for this. They advertise in the CW News.

Bake at 325 for at least an hour, turning over the hard tack once. Check to see that it is cooked through completely. Take out & let cool overnight to get that real hard & dry feeling. Some people bake at 300 for a couple of hours, just to get it real dry. The finished hard tack will still look pale.