Ingredients
| 250g/2 cups wholewheat flour (or half wholewheat, half white) | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 200g creamy blue cheese, cold, cut into cubes | |
| 1 medium-sized egg | |
| 2 tablespoons iced water | |
| walnut & date log, to serve (see recipe) | |
| blue or soft white cheese (I used Little River Estate Tasman Blue and Anabelle Bouchées), fresh pears, to serve | |
| WALNUT & DATE LOG | |
| 50g walnuts | |
| 25g butter | |
| 25g honey | |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | |
| 6 Medjool dates, stones removed |
For lovers of blue cheese, this homemade cracker uses a creamy blue instead of butter, giving a nice tangy flavour. Use an everyday, cheaper cheese in the recipe and serve with your favourite New Zealand blue or, if you prefer, milder creamy white cheese also goes well.
I like to bring the dough together using plastic wrap and then roll between two pieces of baking paper, so no extra flour is added to dry the crackers out.
You can make the crackers ahead of time; they keep well for a week, but will soften overnight. If you prefer them crisp, simply spread on a baking sheet and heat in a 180℃ oven for 3-4 minutes, then cool again before serving.
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oven to 175°C. |
| 2. | Put the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse to combine. |
| 3. | Scatter cheese evenly over the flour. Pulse until combined and crumbly. |
| 4. | Whisk the egg in a small bowl with the iced water. |
| 5. | Pour this into the food processor and pulse until the mixture is just evenly combined, but not coming together in a ball. |
| 6. | Lay a large piece of plastic wrap over the bench and tip the mixture on to it. |
| 7. | Using the plastic wrap to help bring the mix together, gently knead the dough until smooth. |
| 8. | Flatten into a rectangle, wrap in the plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes. |
| 9. | Remove from the fridge and cut in half. |
| 10. | Roll half the dough between two pieces of baking paper, to a thickness of about 5mm. |
| 11. | Cut into small shapes (I used a 5cm cookie cutter). Repeat with the other half of the dough. |
| 12. | Lay onto a lined baking sheet (you will need two sheets or to do two batches). |
| 13. | Prick the tops with a fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. |
| 14. | Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. |
| 15. | Serve with walnut and date log. |
| 16. | WALNUT & DATE LOG |
| 17. | Heat the oven to 175°C. |
| 18. | Spread the walnuts on a tray and bake for 6-8 minutes until light golden and smelling toasted (check after 6 minutes). Set aside. |
| 19. | Put the butter, honey and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. |
| 20. | Turn to a medium simmer and cook for 3 minutes. |
| 21. | Roughly chop the dates and walnuts and stir into the honey mix until it all comes together. |
| 22. | Form into a rough log and store in a container in the fridge until needed (it will keep for up to 2 weeks). Slice thinly to serve. |
Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles