Graham Crackers Alton Brown Recipes

GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• Place both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the molasses, milk and vanilla extract and process until the dough forms a ball, approximately 1 minute. Press the ball into a 1/2-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a large piece of parchment paper and top with a second sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is 1/8-inch thick. Slide the rolled dough and parchment paper onto a half sheet pan. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut the dough, using a rolling pizza cutter into 2-inch square pieces, by making vertical and then horizontal cuts all the way across the dough. Trim off any excess. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the dough. Leave the crackers on the pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes or until the edges just start to darken. Remove from the oven, set the sheet pan with the crackers on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once completely cool, break into individual crackers and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

SOUR CREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Brush some of the melted butter around a 9 by 3-inch cake pan. Adhere parchment to the bottom and the sides.
• In a small bowl, combine crumbled graham crackers, the remaining melted butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Place remaining crumbs on a sheet pan and bake both the crust and the remaining mixture for 10 minutes. Cool. Reserve additional crumb mixture for sides.
• In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat sour cream for 10 seconds. Add the cream cheese and sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds and then turn up to medium. Scrape the bowl.
• In a separate container, combine vanilla, eggs, yolks, and heavy cream. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the liquid mixture in. When half of it is incorporated, stop and scrape. Continue adding the mixture until the rest of the ingredients are incorporated. Once completely combined, pour into the cooled crust.
• Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Place cheesecake into a preheated water bath, in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and open the door for one minute. Close the door for one more hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours to completely cool before serving.
• When ready to serve, place the entire cake pan into a hot water bath for about 15 seconds. Unmold onto a cake round or serving dish. Take the remaining graham cracker mixture and press into the sides of the cake.
• To slice, place your knife into a hot water bath and wipe dry each time you make a pass through the cake.

SEEDY CRISPS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl whisk together both flours, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt, and baking powder. Add the oil and stir until combined. Add the water and stir to combine and create a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 to 5 times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For a thin snacking cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough to 1/16-inch and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. If there is room on the sheet pan, repeat with a second piece of dough. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 4 minutes then flip and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. When cool, break into desired size pieces. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
• For a thicker dipping cracker: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as above but to 1/8-inch thick. Bake for 6 minutes on the first side, then flip and bake another 4 to 6 minutes.
• For super even thickness and easy rolling: Roll out using a lightly floured pasta roller. Flatten the dough until it will pass through the first setting and go to the highest number that your pasta roller will allow without tearing the dough. Bake according to the thin cracker instructions.
• Note: Baking times will vary depending on exact thickness of dough and oven temperature, so watch them closely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

STRAWBERRY PEPPER ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang in each direction to completely cover the top. Measure out 2/3 cup of the strawberry preserves. Set both aside.
• Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high until fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and lemon zest and beat until combined, about 30 seconds more. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Swap the paddle for the whisk and whip 1/2 cup of the cream along with the powdered sugar on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold into the cream cheese mixture and transfer to a zip-top bag.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared loaf pan with a layer of graham crackers. Snip the corner of the zip-top bag and pipe in approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture and smooth with a spoon or spatula. (It's totally fine to eyeball this; just know you'll end up with 6 cream layers.) Top with about 3 tablespoons of preserves (again, it's fine to eyeball), followed by 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and another layer of whipped cream.
• Continue layering-crackers, whipped cream, preserves, pepper, whipped cream, crackers-until you have 4 layers of graham crackers (see Cook's Notes). Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cake and refrigerate 8 hours and up to 24.
• When ready to serve, whip the remaining 1 cup cream in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks have almost formed. Drop the mixer to low and work in the remaining 1/3 cup strawberry preserves and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Boost the speed back to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
• Pull back the plastic wrap and invert the cake onto a serving dish. Remove the plastic wrap completely and frost with the strawberry whipped cream. Slice and serve immediately.

GRAHAM CRACKERS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, flour, brown sugar and graham flour. Pulse to combine. Add very cold butter and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Add molasses, milk and vanilla. Pulse until a smooth dough forms. Press dough into a 1/2" thick disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll dough between sheets of parchment to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 2x2" squares with a pizza cutter (or an accordion cutter, if you have one). Prick each cracker 3 times with the tines of a fork (or a docking roller if you have one). Remove irregular edges and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes until the color has gotten slightly paler. Allow to cool completely IN THE PAN. Store in zip top bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 14 days.

SEEDED CRACKERS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Combine in a medium bowl: both flours, both seeds, salt, baking powder. Stir well. Stir in oil. Add water and stir until just combined.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board. Knead a few times, to ensure dough is evenly mixed and smooth. Cut into 8 pieces and cover with a towel 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Flatten one dough ball and pass through a pasta roller at the widest setting. Reduce the pasta roller and continue rolling through and tightening down until dough is about 1/8" thick. Place dough sheet on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using pizza cutter, cut sheets into 2x2" squares, removing any leftover irregular edges. Bake 8-12 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Store in a zip top bag with as much air removed as possible. Use within 2 week.s.