Swedish Hardtack - Grandma Forss' Recipe - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups course rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter (do not substitute)
2 cups buttermilk (can make your own with low or full fat milk and 2 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice)

Preparation

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.