Recipe: Homemade Plain Soda Crackers and Variations (sesame, herb, poppy, caraway)

HOMEMADE PLAIN SODA CRACKERS

"This is fine basic recipe that can easily be used to make a number of other kinds of crackers with the addition of seeds, herbs, and spices. Cheese, too. Malt syrup, among the ingredients below, adds a touch of sweetness, flavor, and color, but it does so in such a small way in this recipe that I have made it an option."

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flours, approximately
1 package yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup hot water (120-130 degrees F)
1/2 teaspoon malt syrup (optional)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons butter, melted, to brush tops

TO MIX BY HAND OR MIXER - 6 minutes:
Into the mixing or mixer bowl, measure 1 cup flour and the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the hot water, malt syrup, and shortening. Stir to blend and pour the liquid into the dry ingredients; stir vigorously to blend with a wooden spoon or with the mixer flat beater. Add the balance of flour to make a rough mass that can be worked under the hands or with a dough hook. If the dough is sticky, add liberal sprinkles of flour.

TO KNEAD BY HAND OR MIXER - 4 minutes:
- If by hand, knead with a rhythmic push-turn-fold motion until the dough is soft and elastic. Add sprinkles of flour to control stickiness.
- If using a mixer, the dough will form a soft ball around the revolving dough hook and clean the sides of the bowl. Add flour if necessary to firm up the dough. Knead only until smooth, about 4 minutes.

TO MIX BY PROCESSOR - 4 minutes:
Attach the steel blade. Measure 1 cup flour and the dry ingredients into the work bowl. Pulse. Combine the hot water, malt syrup, and shortening, as above. With the processor on, pour the liquid through the feed tube. Add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough becomes a soft elastic mass that will ride on the blade and clean the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.

TO KNEAD BY PROCESSOR- 30 seconds:
Process to knead the dough for 30 seconds.

TO REFRIGERATE (1 hour up to overnight):
Drop the kneaded dough into buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to relax - from 1 hour to overnight. The longer the better, up to 18 hours.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 20 minutes before baking. Prepare a baking sheet to fit the oven by lightly greasing or lining with parchment paper.

With a heavy rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 18x6-inches and no thicker and 1/8-inch. Fold the dough from the short ends, brushing off the excess flour, to make 3 layers. Roll again - with the rolling pin or through a pasta machine.

Prick the dough with the tines of a fork. Cut the dough along the edge of a ruler or yardstick with a pizza or cookie cutter into desired shapes.
Place the crackers close together on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt from 12-inches above the crackers to distribute salt evenly.

Bake at 425 degrees F on the middle shelf of the oven for 10-20 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, depending on the thickness of the crackers. Inspect the crackers several times during the bake period to make certain those on the outer edge of the baking sheet are not getting too brown. If so, shuffle them - out to in.

FINAL STEP:
Brush the crackers with melted butter before removing them from the baking sheet to cool on a metal rack.

VARIATIONS:

SESAME-ONION CRACKERS:
Add to the dough, with the dry ingredients, 4 teaspoons each sesame seeds and grated onions.

HERB CRACKERS:
4 teaspoons each chopped fresh parsley and chives and 1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed.

CARAWAY SEED CRACKERS:
4 teaspoons caraway seeds.

POPPY SEED CRACKERS:
2 teaspoons poppy seeds.

Makes one hundred crackers
Source: Bernard Clayton's Book of Small Breads by Bernard Clayton