Knäkebröd (Rye Flatbread)

After becoming bored with the choice of crackers in the shops I decided to make some of my own. I remembered seeing a recipe in Trina Hanemann's Scandinavian Cookbook that was for some authentic Nordic crispy flatbreads.
I adapted the recipe a little as I didn't have aniseeds and used caraway seeds instead, which worked perfectly well.
The recipe was very easy to make and although my initial thoughts were perhaps there were too many oats that could have made the dough potentially on the rough side, I was proved wrong as they just disappeared into the mixture.

Be prepared for a session of batch baking unless you have an oven of industrial proportions, as it will take several tray loads to complete. I made rather more than than stated so they were slightly smaller. The important thing is to roll them thin.
I found the recipe's timings rather academic (no two ovens are the same) and had to make sure I kept an eye – and my nose – on them to know when they were ready.

They turned beautifully crisp and were rather moreish with a selection of good cheeses and chutneys.

Makes 10
Ingredients
50g fresh yeast
500ml lukewarm water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp honey
100ml sunflower oil
200g rye flour
200g rolled oats
250g plain white flour

Method
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, then add the salt, caraway seeds, honey and oil and mix well.
Add the rye four, oats and half the white flour and mix for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer, or for 10 minutes if making the dough by hand. Sprinkle the rest of the the white flour over the dough and leave to rise for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220C (Gas 7) and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Knead the dough on a floured work surface, then divide it into ten equal pieces (I made more) and roll each one into a very thin disc. Lay the flatbreads on the baking paper and bake for 5-8 minutes until crisp.

Photo: ©childsdesign 2010

Seedy Crackers

These crispy seedy crackers are so simple to make, it seems almost insane to go buying something similar from the shops. Plus you can flavour them with almost any seed you like. I put caraway seeds in mine, but you could use, sesame, poppy, fennel or even cumin seeds – it very much depends on what you prefer.
I also added some golden linseed meal too for extra flavour – it's good for you as well. I wonder if that cancels out the naughtiness of the lavish amounts of cheese I like to eat with these crackers?

Makes about 20-24 crackers

Ingredients
200g strong white flour
50g linseed meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
40ml rapeseed oil (the good stuff! – read)
100ml water

Method
Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F / Gas 3. Lightly oil 2 baking trays.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, linseed meal, baking powder, caraway seeds and salt.
Pour in the oil and rub in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the water a little at a time and using your hand mix in until you have a soft but not sticky dough.
Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough until it is about 5mm thick. Using a 5cm cutter, stamp out the dough into discs and set to one side.
Then take each individual disc and roll out very thinly to 1mm, into an oval shape. Place them on the baking trays and pop them into the oven and bake for for 5-6 minutes until dry and crisp, but hardly browned.
When baked remove them from the oven and carefully arrange on to a wire rack to cool.
Store in an airtight container.

To read my review of Flax Farm linseed meal click HERE

Tasty Crispbreads

I couldn't not write something about these, and before anyone dismisses them as dull, tasteless and akin to chewing on a piece of cardboard, you'd be wrong. Crispbreads of old, have had a bad press. Whilst they are healthful, they're generally not very interesting, but these two varieties I've found lurking in the cracker and wholefood aisles of the supermarket, have made such an impression.

Firstly, Dr Karg's Emmental Cheese and Pumpkin Seed. Yes, the name Karg may conjure up images of strange health spa practices of the 19th century, but I can assure you that these are very delicious and crisp and go well with a thin piece of cheddar on top – or maybe nothing at all – they're so good.

Next is Amisa Organic Spelt and Poppyseed. I'm having an affair with anything made with spelt at the moment, and I'm currently experimenting with a muffin recipe, using it – but more about that another time! As I was saying, these are made from wholesome spelt flour and encrusted with poppy seeds and sunflower seeds, which give a rich nutty flavour. They're very crisp almost to the point of being maybe just a little too hard, so I advise against biting straight into them, otherwise a dental bill could follow! It's best to break off bite-size pieces, that is if you don't mind showering yourself and everywhere with seeds!

We ate both with a variety of cheeses from the local deli and found that the texture and flavour complimented the Manchego, Cornish Yarg and Gruth Dhu cheeses, that we chose, very well.

If you see these in your local shop, I'd suggest trying them as they're quite sophisticated and may change your opinion of healthy crackers.   I certainly wouldn't be adverse to putting them out with the cheese course.

For more information about the crispbreads and their ingredients visit:

dr-karg.com

amisa.co.uk

Product photos from Dr Karg and Amisa websites