Homemade crackers are one of those things that are a low effort high reward. I always feel homemade pasta is over hyped, sure it’s delicious but it is a total hassle and is it worth the mess, space and time when a good quality dried pasta is almost as good and with some sauce combinations even better. Whereas homemade crackers blow all the mass produced crackers (even the expensive artisanal ones) out of the water. They are also super easy and better still you can make up the dough and keep it in the fridge for a day or so, which suits my cooking by stealth personality at the moment. I like things that I can make in two parts. The secret weapon in this recipe is the cornflour which inhibits the gluten development and makes the crackers crispier.

This is a master recipe, but you can mix and match the flours, seasonings and sprinkles on top to make your own bespoke cracker. My favorite flavorings at the moment are toasted sesame seeds, Gerwurshaus’s Australian bush pepper mix, smoked sea salt and a little slurp of maple syrup to sweeten them slightly. If you have an bagel topping on hand that is also good sprinkled on top. I also use half rye flour to plain, because I love rye flour in crackers.

This is a ratio recipe of – 5 part flour, 1 part cornflour, 1/2 part cornstarch, 1/2 part oil, 2 parts iced water, salt pepper, spices, seeds and whatever other bespoke additions you want to add. For the sake of simplicity the following recipe uses two and half cups of flour and makes about four large crackers which can be broken into rustic shards once baked or cut into squares or rectangles before baking.

Crackers!

Adapted from Food 52

• 2 1/2 cups of flour (Use at least half white flour but rye, buckwheat, wholemeal spelt flour are all good combos)
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 1/4 cup oil (olive oil is my preference)
• 1 cup of iced water
• Salt, pepper, seeds (sesame, poppy, chia etc) cheese or dried herbs to add to the dough and sprinkle on top

1. Whisk together flours, salt, seeds and spices of choice together in a medium bowl. Add water, oil (maple syrup if using) and mix together until a dough forms. You can now wrap the dough in glad wrap and let it rest in the fridge to let it rest for at least an hour to a day but I’ve left the dough for a few days before baking.
2. When you are ready to bake your crackers. Preheat oven to 200-220C
3. I divide the dough into 4. On piece of baking paper the size of a baking tray roll out dough thinly and evenly . It is important to make the cracker a consistent thickness for even baking.
4. Sprinkle dough with extra flavouring and press into the dough. Cut into cracker with a knife to mark out crackers if desired. Otherwise bake as one large cracker.
5. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown at edges and firm in the middle. Allow to cool completely and break into rustic shards or cut pieces. If some of your crackers are not crispy enough place back in the oven at 160C for about 20 minutes until completely crisp.

Crackers keep well for at least a week and probably longer but they always get eaten fairly quickly in our house.