RECIPE: Cream Crackers

Tried and tested seasonal recipes from our country cookery school kitchen.  As well as hacks and get ahead tips for EVERY cook. 

Homemade biscuits for cheese make a great gift and the ingredients are so cost-effective.

Total 45 minutes

50 g unsalted butter – cut into cubes and stored in fridge

90 ml cream

Approx. 50 ml water – chilled

Method

Preheat conventional oven 180 C or gas mark 4

Line two large baking trays with silicon paper or bake-o-glide

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl

Add the diced butter and coat each cube with flour.  Using fingertips rub the butter into the flour to resemble fine breadcrumbs

Add the cream and use a palette knife to ‘cut’ this into the mixture

Gradually add a tablespoon of chilled water and work dough together.  Once no dry flour remains, pull the mixture together and briefly knead until smooth.  Do not over handle.

Cut the dough in half.  Roll each half into a rectangle as thin as possible.  Stamp out rounds or cut into long rectangles.

Use a palette knife to transfer to the baking try and cook on the middle shelf of conventional oven 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and continue baking remaining crackers.

How to cook in the AGA 

Bake in the AGA baking oven on third runner or create a moderate roasting oven in a 2-oven AGA by sliding the grid shelf on to the floor and the plain cold shelf on to the second or third set of runners. 

Notes for cooks

Add poppy or sesame seeds to the dough before baking.   Or create a variety of biscuits to partner your favourite cheese:

We love:

Ground fennel seeds or charcoal – goats cheese

Chopped sour cherries or walnuts – blue cheese

Chopped hazelnuts or snipped chives – soft young cheese

Celery salt or onion seeds – cheddar

Sun blush tomatoes – smoked cheese

Ground pink peppercorns – aged hard cheeses