Archives for April 2020

Have you done it? Have you dipped your measuring cup into the sourdough baking pool that has taken over pretty much every cooking/baking media outlet recently? If you made a starter, these Sourdough Cornmeal & Thyme Crackers are a great recipe to use the discard up! These crackers are slightly tangy, ultra-crunchy, and SUPER easy to make!! I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t love! And these crackers are a match made in heaven when it comes to dipping them in a steaming bowl of soup or spreading them with a rich, creamy cheese! And, did I mention this recipe uses just a smidge over a cup of flour? If you’re one of the many of us who is having trouble finding flour and you want to join in the baking fun, this easy recipe is a great one to try!

Sourdough Baking is Fun!

I’ve had so much fun “distractibaking” with sourdough during this whole social distancing thing. There’s a tub practically overflowing with all of the Sourdough Cornmeal & Thyme Crackers I’ve made! The freezer is full of mini loaves of tangy and chewy french bread. There was that one sandwich loaf I made, but we won’t talk about that. It was a recipe that bombed miserably! The dough decided it wanted to rise rapidly at the end of the bake time. It grew so high it baked into the upper rack in my oven, and when I tried to pull it from the oven, the whole top half of the loaf ripped off! Thankfully, the crackers and french bread were a success!

Can we talk about the whole flour shortage?!?!

Have you had trouble finding flour??? Me, too! Gee Whiz!! I can’t imagine where people are storing all of the flour they are hoarding! Inside the toilet paper forts, they’ve built? Perhaps! An article {So sorry! I can’t recall who wrote the article!} I read suggested calling a local bakery to buy flour, which is totally genius! It helps out a local business, and our baking supply dilemma is solved!

I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! If you don’t have dried thyme on hand, no worries! Use dried rosemary or your favorite herb, instead! This recipe is completely customizable! Part of the fun of making these are the endless toppings you can sprinkle on before baking!

Here are some yummy ideas!!

• Finely grated Parmesan cheese and coarsely ground black pepper
• Everything Seasoning {one of my fave ways to top this cracker!}
• Grated Aged Cheddar with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
• Za’atar
• A combination of coarse sea salt, poppy, and sesame seeds
• Montreal Steak Seasoning

Whether you are working-from-home or you just need a quick lunch idea, these crackers are fantastic to keep on hand! I store mine in a Tupperware container on the counter so we can grab ’em and munch when hunger strikes!

These crackers are ideal for more than pairing with cheese! Some of my favorite ways to enjoy them are:

• Top them with guacamole and thinly sliced tomatoes for a cracker tartine
• Pile leftover roasted veggies and some grated cheddar and broil until the cheesy is bubbly!
• Smear with that last bit of marinara sauce that may be hanging out in the fridge. Top with some grated mozzarella. Bake for a few minutes, and now you have a delicious personal-size pizza cracker!!

Now, go turn on some music! Tie on an apron and get the flour out! If you enjoy this recipe, forward it to a friend! Because, now more than ever, it’s nice to know someone is thinking of us! Can’t wait until we are dancing in the sunshine together again! Take care and happy baking, friends!

❤️~ Heidi

Sourdough Cornmeal & Thyme Crackers

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Heidi Clark~Yums & Kisses
• Prep Time: 1 hour+10 minutes
• Cook Time: 32 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour + 42 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Sourdough Cornmeal & Thyme Crackers! Slightly tangy, ultra-crunchy, and oh-so-simple to make! Elevate your cheeseboard with these homemade crackers!  The perfect recipe for those new to sourdough baking!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter discard

1 1/4 cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

optional garnishes:

coarse sea salt

everything seasoning, such as Trader Joe’s brand

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Instructions

Make the dough at least one hour before rolling and baking:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, thyme, garlic, and sea salt.
2. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until incorporated.  Coating the flour with olive oil creates a SUPER crunchy, yet flaky, cracker!
3. Add the sourdough starter and stir until a moist shaggy ball forms.  Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. The rest time allows the cornmeal to absorb any excess moisture. Therefore, when it comes time to knead the dough, you’ll use less flour! 
4. Dust your counter with a bit of flour. Dump the dough onto your work surface and knead until a smooth ball forms. Add the least amount of flour you can while kneading. 
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.

Roll it & Bake it!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper {if you only have two trays, no worries!  Use two and allow them to cool completely before baking the remaining crackers.!}
3. Divide the dough ball in half. Wrap the remaining half in plastic wrap and return to the fridge while you roll out the other.  Divide each dough half into six pieces.
4. Lightly dust the counter with flour.  Using a rolling pin {or empty wine bottle!}, roll each piece of dough into a thin rectangle.  Don’t get hung up on the shape!  You are aiming for uniform thickness, so the crackers bake evenly.  The thicker they are, the longer they take to bake!
5. Transfer the unbaked crackers to the parchment-lined sheets. 
6. Using the tines of a fork, prick each cracker several times.  Doing so prevents them from puffing during the baking process.  If you forget, it’s not a catastrophe!  Your cracker will just have a bit more personality!
7. Brush each cracker with a smidge of water.  Sprinkle with the toppings of your choice.
8. Place one sheet on the top rack of the oven and the second sheet on the bottom shelf.
9. Bake for 24-32 minutes. {the baking time varies depending on how thick or thin the crackers are}
10. Halfway through the baking time, rotate each cookie sheet, so the front is facing the back of the oven. Trade the sheets between oven racks as well.  The top moves to the bottom shelf and vise versa.
11. When the crackers are golden brown and firm remove from the oven. Transfer from the cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool.
12. Repeat with the remaining dough.

 

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Notes

• The dough needs to chill in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. I usually make the dough the day before I am going to roll and bake them.  It adds a bit of a tangier flavor, the longer the dough rests!
• You can easily substitute dried rosemary for the dried thyme. Or, create your own flavor creation!  This cracker dough is easily customizable!
• If the dough starts to shrink, when you roll it, let it rest for 30 seconds and continue.  Because of the olive oil, this dough is super forgiving!
• If you want to create smaller crackers instead of the sheet-style, the baking time may need to be adjusted.  When the crackers are golden brown and firm, they’re done!
• Store baked crackers in a sealed container on the counter for up to one week.  

• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: sourdough, sourdough crackers, sourdough discard, crackers, sourdough cornmeal & thyme crackers