Friday, July 29, 2011

Gluten Free Goldfish Crackers


Welcome! This is my first post. I decided to blog some of the recipes I've been tweeking as a way to help other gluten free mommies out there. Also, every time I have a gluten free success, I am super excited; and I know my gluten-full friends are sick of hearing about it. So, hopefully you'll enjoy this blog, and I can save my friends from my new obsession.

On to the crackers... Yes, these taste like crackers. Seriously, OMG, crackers. I don't know about you, but since our house went GF, crackers (and pizza crusts) are the only things we've really missed. As evidenced by all of those lucky enough to see me inhaling wheat thins at the last cocktail party I attended, we are really in need of a cracker that tastes like a cracker.

Before my younger daughter, Bee's, diagnosis, my oldest daughter, Bug, LOVED goldfish. They were basically a food group for her. When we cleared all gluten out of the house, I promised her I'd find a GF substitute. At the time, I thought Whole Foods would be providing one for me, but no such luck. Tonight, I have it. The Bee adored them! And it was crazy easy!

Goldfish Cheddar Crackers

  • 1/2 cup Gluten Free all-purpose flour blend (I used King Arthur, but any should work)
  • 1/2 teaspoon guar or xantham gum
  • 2 tablespoons cold salted butter
  • 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese (around 1 cup). (I actually used a blend of cheddar, american, and mozzarella)
  • pinch garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground pepper (I left this out since my girls aren't huge spice eaters)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2-3 tablespoons water

Directions

  1. Pulse the flour, guar gum, garlic powder, baking powder, and pepper together using a food processor.
  2. Add the butter and cheese, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  3. Pulse in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball and rides the blade. Remove, wrap in plastic, and chill.
  4. Bake the crackers: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Between two sheets of wax paper, roll the dough out to 1/8th-inch thickness. Cut out as many crackers as possible. I used mini heart, star, and moon cutters from your standard bridge mix (Bug is more into being girly than fish-shaped authenticity). Re-roll as needed.
  5. Place them on baking pans lined with silpats or parchment paper. Bake until golden and crisp (7-10 minutes). Cool and store in an airtight container.