Seedy Crackers

There are times in our busy lives when there isn't any time to pursue all the little things we are so passionate about; when everything is constantly changing around us; when we have to adjust and focus on all the new happenings around us. But then, eventually, we find that new rhythm and we manage to get back to all those precious things we had to go without for a little while.

Well, here's hoping that I will manage to get back into a rhythm. These days, my life tends to be very distracting; and that's great, but really truly: I miss baking a lot, and taking pictures of my (or Florin's) loaves, and sharing all the fun here, on this blog. So, here's a promise to you guys, as well as to myself: I shall make time for all of that again, very soon.

Finally, I decided that today is the day I when I would get back to baking, albeit without having any sourdough culture at hand. I managed to let my starters (smuggled across borders, from Canada to Germany) die. Luckily, my dad did dry some of these cultures and saved them for his own use. So, I hope to bring them back to life someday. However, I felt it was the perfect day to bake some crispy crackers, with a ton of seeds in them. And this is how it's done:
 
Basic Ingredients

160 gr bread flour (38%)
200 gr durum semolina flour (47.6%)
60 gr quinoa flour (14%)
12 gr salt (2.8%)
150 gr water (36%)
40 gr olive oil (9.5%)

The Seeds (use any seeds or nuts of your choice)

50 gr flax seeds (11.9%)
40 gr sesame seeds (9.5%)
40 gr poppy seeds (9.5%)

Soak the flax seeds in the 150 grams of water overnight, or at least a few hours before you plan to bake the crackers. Toast the sesame seeds and then combine all the dry ingredients. Now add the soaked flax seeds and the olive oil. Kneading the dough should feel pretty tough, since there is not a lot of liquid involved. It is important to work the dough until it is pliable and smooth, rather than crumbly and dry. If you find that you need to add some extra water, do so, but keep in mind that you are aiming for a very stiff dough. Once you are done, cover the dough with saran wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Roll out thinly, using a rolling pin. The thinner you roll out the dough, the crisper your crackers will be. Cut into any shape, brush with water and sprinkle with seeds. Bake the crackers at 400 F for about 10 minutes. They should start to brown when they are ready. Enjoy with any of your favourite dips!

Submitted to Yeastspotting.