Fig, Walnut & Seed Crisps

I love hosting dinner parties, but I find it even more enjoyable sometimes to host parties with wine, cheese, fruit and dessert...possibly because I can use a bunch of different recipes at once! When I came across this recipe (slightly adapted from here), I thought it sounded like a great version of a cracker to use with a cheese spread for one of these aforementioned get-togethers. It's a recipe that you can totally make your own to suit your tastes. Next time, I'll likely use more dried fruit (think apricots and cranberries) and less seeds/nuts, as it was too nutty for me. But here's the first batch...


Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pepitas
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup dried figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped 
1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup flaxseed
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease two loaf pans with butter. Set aside.
2. Combine the walnuts and pepitas on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
3. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan on the stove over medium-low heat until golden, then set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. 
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, buttermilk and honey.
6. Combine the flour and buttermilk mixtures and whisk until smooth.

7. Add the walnuts and pepitas, as well as the salted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed, fresh thyme and chopped figs, and stir until combined.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes until puffed and golden.

9. Remove and let sit for a minute, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap them in Saran wrap and place them in the freezer until nearly frozen.

Note: this makes it much easier to slice them thinly.
10. Reduce the oven to 300 degrees.
11. Remove the loaves from the freezer and slice as thinly as possible. 

12. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes until crisp.

13. Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.
14. Serve with a plain cheese spread or slices of salty cheese.