Sesame Crackers. Yes, Crackers!!

I used to love crackers. Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Cracked Wheat, Saltines, Vegetable Thins, Table Water with Cracked Pepper etc etc etc.

I remember the first time I came home sick from school when I was little and was given some saltines with butter. Such a comfort food.
Having crackers alongside my chicken noodle soup, heaping the noodles on the cracker.
Making cracker bark with crackers baked with brown sugar and butter and glazed with chocolate and butterscotch chips.

I bought some Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers in order to make the Cracker Bark at Christmas. Both times I've bought them, they've been broken which is fine since the caramel sauce will hold them together. However, since they are always broken, they really can't be used for much else.

I'm not a fan of rice crackers. They look so plastic-y. I suppose I should give them a real shot. But, now I have these which I'll continue to perfect.


I saw a recipe in a magazine for some crackers and thought they looked fantastic. Buttery, flaky etc. And only 1 cup of flour. Why not?

Sesame Crackers

1 cup (250 mL) gluten free flour mix - I used 1 part brown rice flour, 1 part white rice flour, 2/3 of a part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds
½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
2 tbsp (25 mL) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup (50 mL) cold water - May be up to 1/2 cup with gluten free flour
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp (15 mL) whipping cream
Coarse sea salt and/or other toppings

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Combine flour, xanthan, sesame seeds, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender to work in butter until it is the size of small peas. Add enough water to just bring dough together and gather together in a ball.

5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/16-inch (2-mm) thick or less. Use a manual pasta machine to do this if you have one. Use a 2-inch (5-cm) round cutter to cut out circles. Gather and re-roll scraps. Place crackers on a baking sheet. Alternatively, just roll out into a large rectangle and use a pizza cutter to slice them into squares/rectangles or triangles. Just dust the surface with GF flour first so you can move them.

6. Beat together egg yolk and whipping cream, and brush over the tops of each cracker. Sprinkle with sea salt or other toppings and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

Grating frozen butter is much easier.

Trying circles...

Nice and flaky!!

Then I thought I would try rolling them out and then cutting with a pizza cutter...

Much better. Although, brush with egg wash prior to cutting. Makes it easier.

Some of the thicker crackers...

On the left, the small circles I made which are a little thicker. I also re-rolled out some of the circles into ovals which is actually the perfect thickness. 

I ate way too many. Even had a couple with butter. So delicious. I'll happily make a half-batch or a whole batch anytime. Maybe some extra sesame seeds, maybe some other flavouring in them. Who knows???

Gluten Free Rhubarb Coffee Cake

One of the best parts of spring. We transplanted some when we moved and it's not quite ready yet but happily, someone brought about a dozen stalks to us.

I've found some jams and other uses for it but I always loved Rhubarb Cake from Best of Bridge cookbook.

I can never admit the most common way I eat rhubarb though.

I've had a few good successes with a general gluten free flour mixture so it's time to give the cake another go. It's a very forgiving recipe since I was short on eggs and forgot the vanilla and it still turned out wonderful.

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs - I only had 1 so I used it and then 1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sour milk ( 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 cup milk)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups gluten free flour( I used 2 parts brown, 2/3 part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca starch)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp vanilla - oops, I forgot this
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped fine

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Cream brown sugar and butter, add eggs and beat well. Add sour milk, soda,salt and flour.
Mix well and add vanilla and rhubarb.
Pour into 9x13 greased and floured pan.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on batter.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.

DO NOT ADD CARAMEL SAUCE.


It makes it utterly amazing. I'm sure you don't want that. Ick....Ughh, No thank you!

Okay, I lied.


Add the caramel sauce.



Check out some other cake recipes on Gluten Free Homemaker Gluten Free Wednesday - Cake Recipes

My Favorite Flour Mix

Flour. So many blends... so little time.

I guess that's how it is. I've tried some recipes and mixed together the required quantities. I'm not a big fan of sorghum so far. Maybe that's just me and my impatience since I've only used in yeast breads so far. Yeast breads that I haven't let rise enough.

What I do like is the blend I'm using now.
It's a takeoff of Bette Hagman's.

1 part brown rice flour
1 part white rice flour
2/3 part potato starch
1/3 part tapioca starch
Add 3/4 tsp xanthan gum for each cup of flour you create.


I make double the batch and then I have it to use for a few recipes. Like Scones, Italian Plum Cake and Banana Crumb Muffins.

A Few of My Favorite Things

I hate missing out on things.

And that means food.

There is so much that I'm not able to eat any more. The convenience is out. The middle of the grocery store is pretty much a waste of time.

Your friends say "How can you do it?" "You can eat that, can't you?" or "That must suck".

And I can do it. I can't eat that. But no, it doesn't suck.

Not eating wheat and barley and rye certainly is a change. But to me, it's a fun challenge.
Perogies, fish and chips, onion rings, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and gravy aren't far-flung dreams. They are some of my successes. So when I want those things that everyone else can have, I can have them too. And so can you. You'll see.