Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

Several weeks ago, Mr. SGCC’s paralegal, Joanne, raved about a recipe she’d made and loved. One of the things I love about Joanne is that she’s an adventurous foodie who is always willing to try new things. She’s a girl after my own heart. The recipe she spoke of was for something called Smoky Chocolate Crackers. Hmmm. Chocolate crackers, huh? I was both skeptical and intrigued at the same time.

The next day, Joanne brought me a little bag filled with said chocolate crackers, so that I could try them. They were a deep, dark brown – almost black – flecked with bits of chopped almonds. They were crisp and buttery, with an almost cookie-like texture and intensely rich chocolate flavor. The crackers were sweet, but ever so slightly so - just enough to remind you that there was chocolate in them. And, they were good, people. Really, good. So good, in fact, that I managed to polish off the whole bag in the car before I even finished the two mile drive home. Now that, dear readers, is a recipe worth keeping. And, sharing.

As soon I got home, I called Joanne and made her promise to bring me a copy of the recipe. I had to make these delicious crackers for myself. The sooner, the better!

The next day, when I got my hot, little hands on that recipe, I understood. It was one of Dorie’s. Of course! It was just the kind thing she would come up with – elegant, nuanced and classic.

While scanning the ingredients, I learned that the “smoke” in the crackers came from a healthy dose of smoked paprika. Ooooh! I decided to take it a little further and also added a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mix. I think that chocolate is such a wonderful backdrop for assertive spices. I could totally see this recipe working with an earthy curry or Chinese five-spice seasoning as well.

This dough is truly a thing of beauty – incredibly soft, smooth and supple. It was a dream to work with! I used a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut out my crackers. But, you can use different cookie cutters to make them in whatever shapes you want.

These crackers reminded me a lot of Dorie’s iconic World Peace Cookies - dense, yet tender and ultra-chocolatey. But of course, more savory.

Smoky Chocolate Crackers are meant to be enjoyed with cheese. I’ve paired them here with a soft, creamy Brillat-Savarin studded with bits of papaya. I thought that the hint of sweetness from the papaya and the tang of the cheese was an absolutely brilliant match for the crackers. I’ll bet they would be insane with a fruit-laden Stilton too. I also served them with a gorgeous, runny, ripe Camembert, and I’m still drooling. Joanne says that they’re fantastic with a nice, sharp white cheddar. I say, bring it on!

Seriously, folks. You have got to try these Smoky Chocolate Crackers. They really are fabulous. And, they are not at all difficult to make. Besides, they’re from Dorie. Enough said.