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Christmas crackers recipe

Christmas crackers recipe

9 ratings

These Christmas crackers may not go bang, but they're certainly packed with flavour! Whether you opt for rosemary and sea salt, chilli and fennel, or pesto and Parmesan, these crisp, moreish crackers make the ideal Christmas edible gift idea. See method

  • Serves 3 (makes 42 crackers, or 3 gift bags)
  • 15 mins to cook and 30 mins to cool
  • 317 calories / serving
  • Freezable

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
  • 300g plain flour

For the rosemary and sea salt flavour

  • 1 tsp milk
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes

For the chilli and fennel flavour

  • ¼ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp treacle
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds

For the pesto and parmesan flavour

  • 1 tsp pesto
  • 1 pellet of frozen spinach, defrosted, squeezed to remove excess moisture and finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1330kj
    317kcal     16%

  • Fat

    16g 22%

  • Saturates

    3g 16%

  • Sugars

    1g 1%

  • Salt

    1g 17%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 39.6g Protein 7.3g Fibre 2.3g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C, then grease 3 large baking trays with olive oil.
  2. In a bowl, mix together the flour and a pinch table salt. Add the olive oil and stir with a fork. Gradually add 100ml cold water while continuing to stir until it forms a ball of dough – it will feel quite dry at this point, but you will be adding more moisture with the different flavourings.
  3. Split the dough into 3 balls. Push a dent into the middle of each ball with your fingertips. Put the milk and rosemary into the dent of one of the balls, bring the sides over and knead so the liquid is absorbed and the rosemary is evenly distributed. Repeat this kneading technique with the second ball of dough, adding the chilli flakes, treacle and fennel seeds. Repeat again with the third ball of dough, adding the pesto, spinach and ¼ tsp black pepper.
  4. Roll out each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, making sure they are as thin as possible, and cut each into 14 rectangles measuring about 8 x 6cm. Transfer to the greased baking sheets. Sprinkle the sea salt flakes over the rosemary biscuits and the Parmesan over the pesto biscuits. Bake for 12 mins, or until crisp and golden. Cool on wire racks. Divide the different flavours of crackers equally for packing and gifting. The biscuits have a shelf life of 1 week, but you can make the dough in advance, double wrap each type in clingfilm and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge when ready to use.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines (raw dough only)

Wrap well in clingfilm and tin foil (to prevent freezer burn) and freeze for up to 3 months.

Loosen the tin foil and clingfilm but leave to defrost in packaging at room temperature for several hours before continuing with the recipe.

See more Christmas baking recipes for kids

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