Prep 40min (+1hr 45min-2hr 15min proving and 1 hour cooling time) Bake 55-60 minMakes about 50 slices

These crackers are based on one of my favourite bread recipes. Baked in small loaf tins then sliced and double baked they make the perfect cracker for a cheese plate. They are perfect to serve alongside a creamy ripe brie, a soft goat’s cheese, or a more robust blue vein cheese.

Ingredients

300g (2 cups) strong bread or pizza flour
150g (1 cup) plain wholemeal or wholemeal spelt flour
7g sachet (2 teaspoons) instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon fine salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 orange, zest finely grated
300ml water
90g (60ml / ¼ cup) honey
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
150g dried figs, coarsely chopped
125g seedless raisins
150g walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Melted butter, to grease
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Method

1. Combine the flours, yeast, salt, cinnamon and orange zest in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Heat the water and honey a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until lukewarm and combined. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon and then your hands to mix to a soft dough.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench top and knead for 8-10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic and springs back when you push your finger into it. Add the figs, raisins and walnuts and knead until evenly distributed through the dough.
3. Brush a large bowl with melted butter. Add the dough, turning it to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1-1½ hours or until doubled in size.
4. Meanwhile, brush two 7.5cm x 22cm or 9cm x 19cm loaf tins (or one of each) with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
5. When the dough has doubled in size, knock it back by punching it in the centre with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured bench top and knead for 2-3 minutes or until reduced to its original size. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a log about the length of each tin. Place a dough log into each of the tins. Brush the tops of the loaves with a little water and sprinkle with some more poppy seeds. Cover with a light tea towel and set aside in a warm draught-free place for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Bake the loaves in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped on the top. Stand in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Line two large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Reduce oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced).
8. Once cool, cut the loaves into very thin slices and place in a single layer on the lined trays. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, turn the slices over and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until crisp around the edges (they will become crisper as they cool). Cool on the trays.
   

Prep 20min (+20min cooling time)Bake 18-20minMakes about 40

These crackers have a lovely nuttiness (thanks to both the wholemeal flour and walnuts) to them, perfect to serve with a creamy blue-vein cheese. They would also make a great gift, sealed in an airtight jar and accompanied by some cheese and a good bottle of red.

Prep 40min (+20min cooling and 2.5hr chilling)Bake 15minMakes 6 serves

These little layered cakes are the sweetest hats you'll find. Made up of custard cream and a chocolate topping they are covered in shredded coconut for a little texture but you can also use nuts as well, if you have them handy. They are best served chilled and if you aren't much for a dessert fork, then eating these with your hands like a cupcake is absolutely acceptable!

Ingredients

• 100g (1½ cups) shredded coconut, to coat

Sponge Layers

• melted butter, to grease
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 165g (¾ cup) caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 100g (⅔ cup) self-raising flour, sifted
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder mixed to a paste with 60 ml (¼ cup) boiling water and cooled

Custard cream

• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 tablespoon custard powder
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 200ml milk
• 20g butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1½ teaspoons natural vanilla essence or extract

Chocolate glaze

• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Method

1. To make the custard cream, sift together the cornflour and custard powder into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and then use a balloon whisk to gradually stir in the milk. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, egg yolk and vanilla until well combined. Pour into a medium bowl, cover the surface of the custard directly with a piece of plastic wrap and set aside to cool (this will take about 2 hours).
2. To make the sponge layers, preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush two 16 x 26 cm shallow cake tins with a little melted butter to lightly grease and then line the base and two long sides of each with one piece of non-stick baking paper.
3. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed to whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is very thick and pale (this will take 5-8 minutes). Lift the whisk out of the mixture and draw a figure eight, if the trail stays on the surface long enough for you to finish drawing then the mixture is ready. If not, continue to whisk for a further minutes and then test again.
4. Combine the boiling water and oil. Sift the flour over the egg mixture. Immediately pour the warm water and oil mixture down the side of the bowl and use a spatula to fold until just evenly combined (be careful not to overmix).
5. Pour half of the mixture into one of the prepared cake tins. Add the cocoa paste to the mixture still in the bowl and fold together until just combined. Pour into the second cake tin. Gently tap the tins on the bench top three times to settle the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre and start pulling away from the sides of the tins. Stand the cakes in the tins for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire racks to cool completely.
6. To assemble, use a 6 cm round cutter to cut each of the Sponge cakes into 6 rounds. Place the round cutter over a chocolate sponge. Top the chocolate sponge round with about 1 tbsp of the Custard cream and then cover with around of plain sponge. Remove the pastry cutter. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and plain sponge rounds and 1 tbsp of Custard cream for each cake to make 6 layered cakes in total. Spread the sides of the cakes with the remaining Custard cream. Roll the sides of the cakes in the coconut to coat and place on a serving plate. Place in the fridge while making the Chocolate glaze.
7. Place the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Carefully spread about 1 tsp of the Chocolate glaze over the tops of each of the cakes to cover. Return the cakes to the fridge for 30 minutes or until the Chocolate glaze is set. Serve chilled.

Prep 30min (+20min resting time)Bake 16-18minMakes about 8

Just like the ones you buy, these thin, crisp wafers are the perfect addition to any cheese board. Serve them alongside a soft washed-rind cheese, soft feta, nutty cheddar or any number of dips, such as beetroot or baba ghanoush.

Ingredients

• 225g (1½ cups) plain bread or pizza flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, crushed plus extra to sprinkle
• 125ml (½ cup) water
• 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil, plus extra to roll
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Line 2 large oven trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine the water and olive oil, add to the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon and then your hands to mix to a soft dough.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute or until smooth, elastic and bounces back when you press your finger into it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes to rest.
4. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each in a little extra olive oil to coat lightly. Use your hands to flatten a portion into a rough rectangle and then use a rolling pin to roll out thinly and evenly into a large rectangle about 2mm thick (see Baker’s tip). Place on the lined trays. Repeat with three of the remaining dough portions. Brush the wafers with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with extra salt and sesame seeds.
5. Bake the four wafers in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway through baking, or until golden and crisp. Cool on the trays. Repeat with the remaining four dough portions to make eight large wafers in total. Break into smaller pieces to serve.

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Savoury Crackers.

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Benito Martin.