Make Your Own Seed Crackers

A Special Recipe from FIKA Café Head Chef Blake Meier

Look in almost any Swedish pantry and you will find at least one kind of hard cracker, commonly known as knäckebröd (literally crack or crisp bread). Dry breads were historically a product of the northern environment; Scandinavia’s long winters meant that grain could only be ground in the fall or spring, when streams had enough force to power water mills. A big fall baking session would produce a little soft bread and lots of hard, dry bread that could be stored and used through the whole winter. Today, we can grind grain whenever we want, but crisp bread and crackers are still a must-have for breakfast, fika, lunch, and dinner. Seedy crackers such as this one have become popular gluten free alternatives in recent years — serve any time of day with butter, cheese, soup or any preserved fish.

This seed cracker recipe was given to FIKA Café's head chef Blake Meier by Liselotte Bohlin of Hemma hos Bohlin, a home restaurant in Täby, just outside of Stockholm, Sweden.

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Seed Cracker recipe

Ingredients • 2 ½ cups sesame seeds • 2 ½ cups sunflower seeds • 2 ½ cups pumpkin seeds • 1 ¼ cups flax seeds • 2 ½ cornmeal or corn flour • 1 ½ tsp salt • 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil • 5 cups hot water

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until thoroughly combined. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 275˚F and line a rimmed half sheet pan (baking sheet) with parchment paper.

After resting, spread the cracker mixture evenly on the baking sheet; it should almost completely fill the pan and be about as thick as the pumpkin seeds. Lightly oiling your hands or a spatula can help to press the mixture into place.

Bake for about 90 minutes, until evenly golden and crisp. Cool completely and store in a well sealed container for up to several weeks.