Homemade Graham Crackers

Homemade Graham Crackers
by Yasmin Lozada-Hissom

These homemade graham crackers are the base of Yasmin Lozada-Hissom's Frozen Lemon Cream Cakes, but they're also a delicious snack in their own right. Or, layer them with Homemade Marshmallows and top-quality dark chocolate for the ultimate s'mores.Yields forty-five 2x2-inch crackers.
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5 oz. (1 cup) whole-wheat graham flour
5 oz. (1 cup 2 Tbs.) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 Tbs. buttermilk
3 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 Tbs. unsulfured molasses
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Put both flours, and the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, honey, molasses, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and pulse until a dough begins to form.

Remove the dough from the food processor and transfer to a large piece of parchment. Put another piece of parchment over it. Roll the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick, 16x13-inch rectangle. Remove the top sheet of paper, trim the rough edges, and transfer the dough along with the bottom layer of parchment to a baking sheet.

With a pizza cutter, divide the dough into 2-inch squares (press just hard enough to cut the dough and not the paper). With a fork, prick each square 3 or 4 times. Bake until golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the sheet.

Note: You can bake half a batch of dough and refrigerate or freeze the rest for later use. Divide the dough in two before rolling it, wrap one-half well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 week until ready to use again for a second batch of crackers. Take the dough out of the refrigerator or freezer at least a couple hours before you plan to bake so it will soften slightly.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : per cracker; Calories (kcal): 50; Fat (g): 1.5; Fat Calories (kcal): 15; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 1; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 0; Carbohydrates (g): 8; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 35; Cholesterol (mg): 5; Fiber (g): 0;

From Fine Cooking 105, pp. 70-71

May 6, 2010

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Kim Boyce

These cookies are the size of your palm, with thick, chewy edges, soft centers, and big chocolate chunks. It’s surprising just how delicious this whole-wheat version of an old classic is. This cookie is made with 100% whole-wheat flour, which gives it a distinctive, nutty taste. Use a good bittersweet chocolate for these cookies, as the flavor of high-quality chocolate pairs best with whole-wheat flour.Yields about 20 cookies

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For the dry mix:
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the wet mix:
8 oz. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
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Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Although you can butter the sheets instead, parchment is useful for these cookies because the large chunks of chocolate can stick to the pan.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.

Add the butter and the sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, mix just until the butter and sugars are blended, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the chocolate all at once to the batter. Mix on low speed until the chocolate is evenly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then scrape the batter out onto a work surface, and use your hands to fully incorporate all the ingredients.

Scoop mounds of dough about 3 Tbs. in size onto the baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, or about 6 to a sheet.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are evenly dark brown. Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment, to the counter to cool, and repeat with the remaining dough.

Make Ahead Tips
These cookies are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day. They’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For freshly baked cookies anytime, you can refrigerate some of the dough for later. Be sure to scoop out balls of dough before chilling, as the cold dough is too difficult to scoop. Also, remember that cookies baked from chilled dough will be thicker than those made from room-temperature dough. This dough--scooped, chilled, and wrapped in plastic--will last in the refrigerator for one week, assuming it doesn't get eaten first!
From Book Good to the Grain, pp. 41

August 4, 2010