Sunday, October 14, 2012

Graham Cracker Crumbs - From Scratch

                            Graham Cracker Crumbs - From Scratch
I'm gearing up for the Holiday season. I go through a lot of graham cracker crumbs, at that time. It can get pretty expensive, cooking for around 30 people, so I try to cut costs, where I can. Plus I get the added satisfaction, of making ingredients from scratch. This makes about 4-3/4cups, if you can keep everyone from nibbling on them, as they are cooling. If you want to make graham crackers instead, chill the dough overnight, and roll on a heavily floured surface, to about, 1/8-inch thick, cut and bake, like a cookie. (which is what graham crackers actually are.) There are no preservatives in these, so you need to refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients:
1/4cup honey
1/4cup milk or cream
1Tbl. molasses
1Tbl. vanilla
2-3/4cups flour
1cup brown sugar
1/2tsp. salt
1/2tsp. cinnamon
1tsp. baking soda
1stick of butter-cold

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350*F.
Spray one large, or two regular cookie sheets with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, molasses, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda, until well combined.
With a pastry cutter, cut in the butter, until it resembles sand. (No large particles.)
Stir in the honey mixture until well combined.
Gather the dough into a ball. Press the dough onto prepared cookie sheet(s), to 1/8-inch thickness.
You can bake as is, or cut for easier handling. I use a pizza cutter
Bake for 20-minutes, or until browned, and somewhat firm, to the touch.
Cool, and grind into crumbs, in a food processor.

Combine the flour mixture, and the honey mixture. Form into a ball.
Press the dough, onto a greased cookie sheet. I cut them, to make them easier to break apart.
Bake until they are just beginning to brown, and starting to firm up, a bit. (About 20 minutes)
Let them cool, a few minutes, then while still warm, break them into small pieces, and cool completely.
Grind them into fine crumbs, with a food processor, sift out large particles, with a large mesh, strainer, and re-grind them.

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