Real Snacks (11 page)

Is it a cookie? Is it a candy? Well, it’s a little of both. Mars calls Twix a “cookie bar.” This homemade version may have a few steps, but they keep well, so make a big batch and enjoy them for a while
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Sift the white spelt flour, sweet rice flour, and salt together and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg white and vanilla and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

Line a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment, extending the parchment over the sides of the pan to create handles. Roll out the chilled dough until it is a little more than ¼ inch thick. Prick the dough all over with a fork and carefully place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until very lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

Allow the baked shortbread to cool slightly in the pan and then spread the Caramel Sauce thickly over the top.

Remove the caramel-covered shortbread from the pan, using the parchment as handles, and place on a large, stable cutting surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the shortbread into ½-by-3-inch bars.

Line a tray with waxed paper. Dip the cookie sticks in the melted chocolate, covering them completely. Place the dipped cookie sticks on the prepared tray. Place in a cool spot (or the refrigerator) to set, about 30 minutes. Uneaten cookie sticks will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks, or longer in the refrigerator.

These yogurt-covered raisins are a test in patience and meticulousness. Do you have the will to separate out one hundred individual raisins so that they dry perfectly? Neither do I. Instead, I simply make yogurt raisin clusters that are easy to munch on a handful at a time. Feel free to substitute dried cranberries or nuts for the raisins—the yogurt coating is just as good on them
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Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, quickly toss the raisins in the powdered sugar to lightly coat, and then drop them into the yogurt coating. Stir to fully coat each raisin.

Pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and, using a fork or a chopstick, separate the raisins as much as you wish. Let the raisins sit until the yogurt coating sets, about 30 minutes, then break them apart into clumps.

Tiny cutters work best for replicating the classic cheese fish crackers. You can find them online with a quick search, or make your own from a soda can with a great little tutorial at Miss Anthropist’s Kitchen (
MissAnthropistsKitchen.com
). The corn and oat flours in this recipe boost the nutrition and give a more complex texture to the crackers
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, corn flour, oat flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade and pulse to combine. Add the cheese and coconut oil, and pulse to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the food processor to free any trapped flour. With the food processor running, drizzle in the hot water, a little at a time, just until the mixture begins to pull together. You may not use all of the water.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. Knead gently once or twice. Roll out the dough until it is slightly less than ¼ inch thick.

Using a very small fish-shaped cutter, or the cutter of your choice, cut out the crackers and carefully place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes, and cool before serving.

A touch of sugar makes these flaky crackers equally as tasty with peanut butter as they are with cheese. Look for a fluted edge cookie cutter to make your crackers look like the classic Ritz crackers
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Sift the white spelt flour, white whole-wheat flour, oat flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together. Pour into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Add the chilled butter and pulse to create a coarse crumb mixture. With the food processor running, stream in the flaxseed oil, followed by the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture starts to form large clumps.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and gather it into a ball. Knead gently once or twice. Sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough and roll it out until it is ¼ inch thick, rotating the dough by 90 degrees after each roll.

Prick the dough all over with a fork, making sure it is well pierced. Using a small cookie cutter of your choice, cut out the crackers and carefully place them on the prepared baking sheets.

In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg with the milk. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of the crackers with the egg wash.

Bake just until the crackers begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.

While the crackers are baking, stir the melted butter and salt together in a small bowl. Brush the mixture onto the freshly baked, still warm crackers before serving.