Graham Crackers with a Kick

Makes about 50 crackers 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"

Adapted from a recipe at Smitten Kitchen (smittenkitchen.com), credited to Nancy Silverton's "Pastries from the La Brea Bakery" (Villard, 2000). If you want more traditional graham crackers I'd suggest going to one of these sources.

Ingredients 

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons Chinese "five-spice powder" (see note below)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter - cut in chunks and frozen
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 3 tablespoons cold milk

Method

1. Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, coarse salt, five-spice powder and cayenne pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. 

2. Add the frozen butter chunks and pulse until the mixture feels like coarse cornmeal. Do not over process. 

3. Transfer the mixture to a plastic food-storage bag. Knead for a few seconds to coalesce the dough into a ball (it will be crumbly). Refrigerate for two hours or more. 

4. On a floured board, roll the dough out to about 1/8" thick. Cut to desired shapes and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (Use a pasta cutter wheel if you want a serrated edge.)

Bake 20 minutes in a preheated 350º oven. Allow to cool completely before sealing in plastic bag or container. May also be frozen for up to two weeks. 

Note: Five-spice powder. A traditional Chinese flavoring, five-spice powder is available in Asian markets. To make your own, combine equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise seed and Szechuan peppercorns (all finely ground).

Nutritional Estimate: 25 servings, 2 crackers each. Per serving: 54 Calories; 9 g Total Carbs; 0 g Dietary Fiber; 4 g Sugars; 2 g Fat; 4 mg Cholesterol; 48 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein. Weight Watchers: 1 point.