Friday, July 13, 2012

Butternut Squash Whole Wheat Crackers


Crackers are one of the best snacks, in my opinion. They are basically little pieces of crunchy bread, so what's not to like?
That being said, buying crackers is expensive. Stupidly so, actually. Now that I've discovered how beautifully easy making your own crackers is, I probably won't be buying crackers from the store much from here on out.
The recipe I found originally called for sweet potato to be used, but I didn't have any sweet potatoes, but I did have a butternut squash. The only difference that really made was the flavor is milder, and I had to use more flour because butternut squash has a higher water content when cooked than sweet potato does.
You could make these with all-purpose flour, but you shouldn't because whole wheat is healthier.
Make sure you roll the dough out very thin, otherwise they will stay kind of gummy in the center, which will result in the crackers tasting stale within a day. If you get them nice and thin, they will brown up nicely and be deliciously crunchy, as crackers should be.
I sprinkled the crackers with paprika and sesame seeds before baking, but I found the sesame seeds didn't stick very well, even though I pressed them down before I put them in the oven.

Butternut Squash Whole Wheat Crackers
Adapted from Fuss Free Cooking

1 cup cooked butternut squash, mashed
2 cups whole wheat flour (more as needed)
2 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
ground paprika (optional)
sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the milk and squash mash and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cold butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the squash and process until it forms a dough that is only slightly sticky, adding more flour as you need to.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead about 80 turns. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each out very thin (about 1/16 inch). Cut into whatever shape you want and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with paprika and sesame seeds if desired.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly browned. Turn the crackers over and bake for 4-5 minutes longer.
Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

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