SOUP CRACKER BOWL RECIPES

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water. Let stand in warm place until creamy, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 3 1/2 cups flour until well combined. Form into a ball. Transfer to a clean, oiled bowl; cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
• In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 tablespoon water. Stir baking-soda mixture, buttermilk, salt, and shortening into yeast mixture; if necessary, knead to combine. Gradually stir in enough remaining 1 cup flour to create a soft but not tacky dough.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead until firm, about 7 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rest for 15 minutes. Knead dough until becomes elastic and smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl; cover tightly with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface; roll into a 12-by-17-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, and roll out to original size again. Repeat folding-and-rolling process. Cut off 1/2 teaspoon of dough. Form into ball by stretching dough over itself and pinching at bottom to secure. Roll in flour, and place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat process until all dough is used. Bake crackers for 40 minutes, until cooked through completely. Transfer to wire rack to completely cool. Store in an airtight plastic container.

Steps:

• In small bowl, whisk water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, salt, and baking soda in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add butter, oil, and yeast mixture and beat on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until dough becomes smooth elastic mass around hook, about 10 minutes. Lightly grease large bowl. Turn dough out onto work surface and knead into tight ball. Place in bowl and turn to coat with oil, then cover with clean kitchen towel and let stand in draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and heat oven to 300°F. Turn dough out onto clean work surface. Quarter dough; then, working with 2 pieces at a time, place each on large cookie sheet and pat into rectangle, then roll into 1/16-inch-thick rectangle. Sprinkle Maldon salt on top, crushing into smaller bits with fingers. Gently run rolling pin over salt. Using dough cutter with fluted blade, trim edges, then cut dough into 1/2-inch squares. Trimmings can be left on pan for snacking. Using fork, poke each square twice. Bake, rotating positions of pans halfway through, until set and dry to touch but pale, about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F. Bake, rotating positions of pans halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. While first batch is baking, repeat rolling, trimming, and cutting with remaining 2 pieces of dough.