Making discard sourdough crackers with Spelt flour is perfect for any beginner who hates throwing the discard away. We love crackers and cheese and buy them regularly. I never thought I’d be able to easily make my own. They are now our preferred cracker and enjoy coming up with new additions.
sourdough starter named ‘Bugsy’
I started the sourdough starter about 18months ago, I had great hopes of making beautiful artisanal type loaves of bread – not there yet. In the first week of the process, I noticed how much I had to throw away as the starter developed. That part I did not enjoy. Frugal, might be my middle name;)
Later, as I was experimenting with different sourdough makes I saw that I was back to throwing away part of the starter as I was feeding it. Back to being unhappy with throwing this away. I quickly found a couple of things that I could make with this that I had been throwing away. Win-win for us.
sourdough with Spelt flour
I’ve used and tried all sorts of flours. There has been a measure of success and failure with it all but I have landed on Spelt flour and love it. We love the depth of taste that Spelt flour adds to these sourdough crackers. It tastes nuttier and these crackers sit well on our stomachs. The fermentation that has already taken place helps with digestion too.
sourdough success
These ‘discard’ sourdough crackers with Spelt flour are for the beginner. I feel successful every time I make them. They are simple to make, quick to prepare, and can be baked with ease. This is a good place to start if you are wanting to start somewhere with sourdough. Give them a try, you will love them. When we have these at home, the bought crackers get left behind on the shelf. I love that.
They are crisp and delicious. They store very well too. I store them in a large, well-sealed glass jar. They have lasted up to 3 weeks in there. I don’t know about how much longer though because even though I make a large batch at a time, they are eaten up quickly.
simple ingredients
- butter (everything is better with butter;)
- salt (not too much, great to be able to decide and know for yourself)
- herbs of choice
- seeds are optional
Most, if not all of these ingredients are already in your pantry, so it is easy to get started. If you don’t have your own starter, have a look here @farmhouseonboone – she has a no-nonsense approach to all things sourdough.
how to make discard sourdough crackers with Spelt flour
Easy steps:
- turn on your oven to 140°C – fan assisted, or 160°C normal
- measure out 1 cup of starter that has been stirred
- add 3 tablespoons of cooled melted butter
- to this add 1/2teaspoon of salt, fine or coarse
- add in 2-3 teaspoons dried herbs* of choice
- herbs* – we love, rosemary or herbs de provence
- optional, add in 1 tablespoon of seeds** of choice
- seeds** – we love either flax seeds or sesame seeds
- give it a stir, mix it through
Then:
- line the baking tray with baking paper
- pour the mixture on top
- level it out with either a spatular or a knife
- pop it into the pre heated oven for about 10-12minutes
- remove the baking tray from the oven and cut through/score the slightly cooked mixture
- we cut through/score the mixture with a pizza cutter, but a knife should work too
- put the baking tray back into the oven to complete the cooking
- bake for 35-40 minutes more
- remove form the oven and let them cool
- snap the crackers apart at the cutthrough/scored lines
- enjoy the scraps on the sides
discard sourdough crackers with Spelt flour
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 spatula
- 1 baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter (stirred down)
- 3 tbsp melted butter (let it cool)
- ½ tsp salt (fine or coarse)
- 3 tsp dried herbs (rosemary or herbs de provence work well)
- 1 tbsp seeds (sesame or flax seeds work well)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140°C – fan assisted or 160°C normal
- Line the baking tray with baking paper
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Short bursts of 10 seconds till the butter has melted. Keep a close eye on it. Take it out and then let it cool before adding. The butter can also be melted in a small pot on the stove top.
- In a mixing bowl add in the scooped out cup of stirred sourdough starter.
- Add in the measured cooled butter, salt, dried herbs and the seeds(optional).
- Mix well.
- Pour it all out gently onto the baking tray covered with baking paper.
- Level it out with a knife or spatula.
- Put it into the oven for 10-12minutes.
- Remove from the oven and then cut the dough/cracker 'pastry' into cracker sized pieces.
- Return to the oven
- Bake for a further 30-40minutes.
- They are done when they are golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before putting them into a sealed container.
sourdough advantages
The tangy taste of sourdough cannot easily be replaced by anything else, it is unique and delicious. The process of fermentation helps our digestion system too, part of the hard work of digesting has already taken place.
Sourdough starter is easy to make. All you need is flour and water.
It is easy to store. If you will not be using your sourdough starter every day, then it stores and keeps in the back of your fridge. If you’ll not be using it for a longer period of time, you can freeze it too.
When you need it again. Take it out of the freezer, let it thaw completely, and then simply feed it and continue.
I’ve also poured it out onto a baking sheet to a very thin layer and I let it air dry there. When it was completely and thoroughly dry, I broke it up into pieces, put the pieces into a clean glass jar, and stored it in the pantry. When I needed it again, I poured a little bit of water over it and when it had reconstituted itself, I continued. I fed it, and it was great. No stress, no fuss.
It is good to store some either by dehydrating or freezing. You never know if you drop a bowl, and lose your starter, then you will have this as a backup.
transporting the starter
All you need to do is to add in flour, enough to make it into a soft ball. You can then pop it into a ziplock bag or a plastic, sealable container and be on your way. When you reach your destination add in a little bit of water till it reaches the original consistency. The consistency that I always aim for is a thickish batter that is pourable.
Give this recipe a try and it may be a start to a very good relationship. Let me know if this is the first you’ve done too with sourdough. This recipe gives me the courage to try out other sourdough recipes. I’ve also made pancakes and English muffins with success. They are delicious and very easy too. Later I will give the loaves of bread a try. I am a slow learner but I love the concept of sourdough and its simplicity. What are the things you love to make with sourdough? Are you an expert already? Share your story in the comments.