Ingredients
Method
- To a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pieces are about the size of peas.
- While pulsing, drizzle in the water until the dough no longer looks powdery. The butter will break down into smaller pieces as you pulse.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter. If it isn't holding together, knead it for a few seconds, then pat it into a rectangle.
- Roll the dough out to about 6×12 inches (15×30cm). Fold it in thirds like a letter, turn it 90 degrees, then roll and repeat the folding process two more times (no need to chill between folds). This is what creates flaky layers.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C with a rack in the middle position, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into a 12×14-inch (30×35cm) rectangle.
- Cut the dough into circles with a 2-inch (5cm) fluted cutter.
- Brush the crackers with a thin coat of heavy cream. Using a thin skewer, poke 7 holes all the way through each cracker (one in the center, four in a square around it, and one on each side of the square in line with the center hole), then sprinkle lightly with salt. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown and the tops are no longer completely pale. Let them cool on the pan.
Notes
Yield: one sheet of dough makes 25 to 30 crackers.
Keep it cold: if the dough feels soft or greasy at any point, chill it for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.
Butter: add the water when the butter pieces are about the size of peas. They get smaller as the water is pulsed in, and those small pieces and the folds are what make the layers.
Rolling: roll the sheet to the full 12×14 inches (30×35cm). A thinner sheet bakes flat, and a smaller, thicker one makes the crackers too thick.
Doneness: the crackers are done when the edges start to turn golden brown and the tops are no longer completely pale.
Scraps: we tried re-rolling the scraps, and those crackers came out tough.
Storage: store cooled crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.