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Crisp Cheese Crackers

Source of Recipe

From "Williams Sonoma: Cooking at Home" by Chuck Williams


Recipe Introduction

"Topped with chives and sea salt, these crisp crackers are perfect with wine or cocktails. The dough can be made the night before and refrigerated. Keep an eye on the crackers as they bake: If the edges brown too much, the crackers will taste bitter."

List of Ingredients

◦ 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Comt� or Gruy�re cheese
◦ � cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
◦ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
◦ Pinch of cayenne pepper
◦ 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
◦ Coarse sea salt


Recipe

In a food processor, combine the Comt� and Parmesan cheeses, the butter, flour, and cayenne. Process until well combined and crumbly, 40 to 60 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 2 inches in diameter and 6 to 7 inches long. Roll up the log in the plastic wrap, patting it to form a smooth, even shape. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350� F. Unwrap the dough and slice into rounds about � inch thick. Arrange on two ungreased rimmed baking sheets, preferably nonstick, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the rounds evenly with chives and top each with a pinch of salt.

Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, until light golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan front to back halfway through the baking time. For crispier crackers, bake for up to 3 minutes longer, watching carefully to avoid overbrowning. Serve right away.

Makes 24 to 48 crackers







❧ Perfect Rounds:
Refrigerating the dough allows it to rest and its flavors to meld. It also makes the log easier to slice into neat rounds for baking.