The DIY Pantry (3 page)

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
   
2. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
   
3. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika, turmeric, and onion powder in a medium bowl. Whisk quickly to combine evenly; then drop in the cold butter cubes. Combine the butter with the mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and holds its shape when squeezed in your hand. Pour in the cold water and mix with wooden spoon until a dough is formed.
   
4. Scoop the dough into a ball, kneading it once or twice in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let the dough sit for 5–10 minutes.
   
5. Divide the dough into two pieces and cover one to keep it from drying out. Dust your work surface liberally with flour and roll the dough as thinly as possible, preferably thinner than a penny. Keep the dough from sticking at all times—feel free to flip, move, and dust the dough as needed.
   
6. When you’ve achieved the desired thickness, lift the dough onto the baking sheet. Use a fork to gently poke holes in the dough and sprinkle it with salt. Use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the dough into 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   " squares.
   
7. Set the baking pan in the refrigerator while you roll out the second ball of dough. Place the rolled dough on the remaining baking sheet, repeating all steps and cutting it into squares. Place in the refrigerator.
   
8. Bake the first sheet of crackers until they are crisp and lightly browned, about 4–7 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as thin crackers can burn quickly.
   
9. Remove pan from oven. Let the crackers cool on the pan for 1–2 minutes and then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
   
10. As the first batch cools, bake the second batch of crackers and set them to cool.
    
11. Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
    

These crackers are the best of two worlds—the savory decadence of a yeast cracker with the speed of preparation of a quick-dough cracker. The turmeric in this recipe adds a warm, yellow hue to the crackers, but if you don’t have it, they’ll turn out just as delicious, only lighter in color.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
2. Place the water in a small bowl and stir in the active dry yeast until it’s dissolved. Set the bowl aside, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
   
3. Place the flour, salt, baking soda, nutritional yeast, onion powder, mustard powder, and turmeric in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the cheese and cold butter cubes; then pulse until the mixture resembles the texture of fine crumbs.
   
4. Drizzle in the water and yeast mixture, pulsing or stirring until the dough is shaggy, or until all the ingredients have been incorporated, Gather it together on a lightly floured work surface and knead until cohesive, about 1 minute.
   
5. Divide the dough into two balls. Flatten one ball to about 1" thick; then cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the other ball of dough until it’s very thin, about
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₁₆
   " thick. As you roll, make sure the dough isn’t sticking to the work surface, flouring the surface and your rolling pin as necessary.
   
6. Cut the dough into a rectangle; then transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork about 1" apart and cut it into 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   " squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Set aside (in the refrigerator, if possible) and remove the reserved disk of dough from the refrigerator. Repeat all steps with the second batch of dough.
   
7. Bake both sheets of crackers, rotating the baking sheets if necessary, for about 13–16 minutes. They should be firm, dry, and just beginning to brown on the bottom. Keep a close eye on the crackers toward the end of the baking time, as thin crackers can burn quickly.
   
8. Remove pan from oven and place crackers on a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
   

There isn’t anything else quite like homemade graham crackers. They’re flaky, light, and filled with just the perfect combination of flavors. This recipe uses two popular pastry techniques to create the texture and taste we’ve loved for all these years. The two keys here are cutting in the butter only until the lumps are the size of very coarse crumbs (rather than going all the way to fine crumbs) and keeping the dough absolutely cold, which gives the cracker its layers as it bakes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and combine with the flour mixture until the mixture is the texture of very coarse crumbs and holds together loosely when pressed into your hand.
   
3. Add the honey, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until the dough just comes together. It should be very soft and sticky. Place the dough on a large piece of parchment paper and cover it with a second piece of parchment paper. Press down on the dough until it is about 1" thick. Place the covered dough in the refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
   
4. When the dough is firm, divide it in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₈
   " thick. Since it is sticky, make sure you dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour as necessary.
   
5. When the dough is
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₈
   " thick, cut it into 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   " squares using a cookie cutter, pizza roller, or sharp knife. Place the graham crackers on a parchment paper– or silicone-lined baking sheet.
   
6. Roll out the second batch of dough and repeat Steps 4 and 5. Add the new batch of crackers to the baking sheet (or start a new one, if necessary). Cover with a tea towel and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
   
7. Prick each cracker several times with a fork. If you have cut traditional rectangular crackers, score one vertical and one horizontal line on the cracker, as well. These holes help the cracker bake correctly, so they’re not just for decoration.
   
8. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheet(s) halfway through to ensure even baking. Start checking the crackers after 15 minutes, as crackers can burn quickly.
   
9. Cool the crackers on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store crackers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.