Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 120 g whole wheat pastry flour
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
Add-ins
- 60 g pecans, roughly chopped
- 70 g golden raisins
- 5 g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 240 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 50 g light brown sugar, packed
- 40 g honey
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 39 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 61 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Potassium
- 41 mg
- Calcium
- 11 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Phosphorus
- 20 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan and line the bottom and long sides with a sling of parchment paper to ensure easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt until evenly distributed.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the buttermilk, brown sugar, and honey until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently stir with a spatula just until a cohesive batter forms. Fold in the chopped pecans, golden raisins, and fresh tarragon, taking care not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the pan using the parchment sling and let it cool completely on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Once completely cooled, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the semi-frozen loaf from the freezer. Using a sharp serrated bread knife, slice the loaf as thinly as possible, aiming for a thickness of about 2 millimeters. Arrange the slices flat on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer.
Bake the slices for 15 minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven, carefully flip each cracker, and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes until they are deeply toasted, dry, and crisp.
Transfer the baked crackers immediately to a wire cooling rack. They will continue to crisp up as they cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- The combination of buttermilk and baking soda provides all the leavening necessary for this recipe, allowing for a quick initial bake without yeast or proofing time.
- Using whole wheat pastry flour keeps the crumb tender while adding a pleasant, nutty background flavor that complements the pecans perfectly.
- Do not force the knife down when slicing the semi-frozen loaf. Let the teeth of the serrated knife do the work by using long, fluid sawing motions.
- If your oven has uneven heating, rotate your baking sheets both top to bottom and front to back when you flip the crackers halfway through the second bake.
- These crisps are spectacular on a charcuterie board paired with soft, pungent cheeses like goat cheese, brie, or a rich chicken liver pâté.
Storage
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked crackers in an airtight container layered with parchment paper. Re-crisp in a warm oven if necessary.
Troubleshooting
Loaf crumbles and tears when slicing
Cause: The loaf was not chilled thoroughly or the knife used was dull.
Fix: Save the crumbled pieces, toss them with a little olive oil, and bake them alongside the whole slices to use as a sweet and savory salad garnish.
Prevention: Ensure the loaf is frozen for a full two hours and always use a high-quality serrated bread knife with a gentle sawing motion.
Crackers are chewy in the center instead of crisp
Cause: The slices were cut too thick or they were not baked long enough during the second bake.
Fix: Return the chewy crackers to a 150°C oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until dried through.
Prevention: Slice the loaf no thicker than 2mm and ensure your oven temperature is accurate.
Cultural Context
The twice-baked cracker style was popularized in the late 1990s by artisanal bakeries in Vancouver, British Columbia, notably as Raincoast Crisps. They quickly became a staple for elevated entertaining, heavily featured in holiday gatherings like Christmas and Hanukkah due to their dense inclusion of festive nuts and dried fruits.
