Cheddar-Parmesan Crackers
December 28, 2009 posted by Linda Avery
by Laura Werlin
from The All American Cheese and Wine Book
(Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2003)
Makes about 3 dozen crackers
These cheesy, buttery gems will likely become a mainstay in your repertoire. Not only are they crispy, rich, and well, addictive, they can be partially made up to a month in advance. That’s because once the dough is made, it can be frozen and simply “cut to order” as you need it. Just be sure to freeze it in small portions so that you don’t have to defrost it all at once. Although these crackers are great plain, you can draw on the age-old “apples and cheddar” theme by topping them with a dollop of apple-butter.—Laura Werlin
convert Ingredients
4 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
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Method
1. In the bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients except the butter and water. Pulse 5 times. Add the butter and pulse again until the butter pieces are the size of BB’s. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough holds together. If the dough is still crumbly, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
2. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log, 9 to 10 inches long, and square off the ends. Refrigerate, well wrapped, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. (You may want to cut the log in half or in thirds to freeze if you think you will want to defrost a smaller amount at a time.)
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. To make the crackers, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden color. Turn the crackers and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until they are golden around the edges.
5. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe © 2003 Laura Werlin. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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Great recipe! I am looking for cracker ideas to spiff up the raw-food dehydrated crackers I’m making. I start with almond meal (after making almond milk) and ground carrots (pulp remains of juiced carrots) and start adding stuff. They are really good. Only catch is that they are dehydrated at low temp so as not to destroy the nutrients so I’ll have to see how it goes adding cheese in. I think the Parmesan is going to work well. Happy holidays! Bonnie
[Megan L.] These buttery little crackers are delicious and really easy to make. Who knew that making your own crackers could be so easy and taste so good? You basically dump all the ingredients into a food processor and then bring it together with butter and water like pie dough. No rolling or fussing with the dough- just form it into a log, and then it’s simply a slice-and-bake process. So easy! These crackers have a crispness around the edges as well as a bit of a chewy texture in the middle from the Parmesan. They’re tangy from the Cheddar, salty from the Parmesan and spicy from the cayenne. It’s an addictive snack that would be a great addition to any party.