Swedish Hard Tack Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the shortening until the mixture appears sandy. Stir in the buttermilk until the dough holds together. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares, then cut each square diagonally into triangles, and prick with a fork.
• Bake the triangles in preheated oven on ungreased cookie sheets until dry and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix the flour, water and salt together, and make sure the mixture is fairly dry.
• Then roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness, and shape it into a rectangle. Cut it into 3×3 inch squares, and poke holes in both sides.
• Place on an un-greased cookie or baking sheet, and cook for 30 minutes per side at 375? (or 350? if you have a convection oven).
• When it's done, you'll want to let it dry and harden for a few days, just out in the open. When it has the consistency of a brick, it's fully cured. Then simply store it in an airtight container or bucket. To prepare for eating, soak it in water or milk for about 15 minutes, and then fry in a buttered skillet. You can eat it with cheese, soup or just plain with a little salt added. Any way you do it, it's delicious!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, Combine all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. A Kitchenaid works best.
• Alternate adding the melted butter and the buttermilk to the dry ingredients until dough is very sticky and tacky but quite firm. It won't pull away from the bowl like a bread dough would.
• Generously flour work surface with whole wheat or rye flour. Use a regular rolling pin to roll out a sheet large enough to cut out (6) 5" rounds at a time. I make mine 5" round with a 1 inch hole in center. I like them thin, less than 1/8 thickness. After cutting out rounds, roll over them with your deep-notched hardtack rolling pin. If you do not have one feel free to prick rounds with a fork to prevent bubbling.
• Back in a 425 deg. oven for 8 to 12 minutes depending on thickness.
• After all are baked, turn the oven down to its lowest setting (150-170) and bake for an additional hour to make crackers extra crispy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Place the dry ingredients into a bowl; add all the melted butter and the buttermilk a cup at a time (you're looking for a thick dough).
• Shape into 24 balls; dip into flour.
• Roll out very thin and prick the dough evenly all over with a fork.
• Bake until brown, about 15 minutes.