Recipe: Almond, blueberry and date artisanal crisps a joy to bake

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These delightful crisps combine the natural sweetness of dates and blueberries, with the crunch of almonds, and a hint of molasses. Perfectly balanced and incredibly versatile, these crisps are not only a joy to make but also a treat for your tastebuds. They make a perfect addition to a charcuterie board. I love serving these with cured meats like prosciutto or salami, and cheeses like aged cheddar or brie with a drizzle of spicy honey.

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2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. fine sea salt

2/3 cup raw whole almonds, roughly chopped

½ cup dried dates

1 cup dried blueberries

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

2 tbsp. flax seeds

2 cups buttermilk, well shaken

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. fancy molasses, not blackstrap molasses

1 tbsp. melted butter for greasing loaf pans

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Place dried dates and dried blueberries into 2 separate, deep bowls. Add boiling water to the bowls and allow dried fruit to reconstitute for at least 15 minutes. Once fruit is rehydrated, drain well. Chop dates into small bite-size pieces. No need to chop blueberries. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush 4 mini loaf pans with melted butter. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. Add the roughly chopped almonds, chopped dates and blueberries. Toss to coat.

In another mixing bowl, whisk buttermilk and molasses until combined. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until no streaks of flour remain.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans. Place pans on a rimmed baking sheet and immediately transfer pans into the oven to bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.

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These may be sliced thickly and served as a bread. To turn them into artisan crackers, proceed as follows:

Once fully cooled, remove the loaves from the pan. Wrap each loaf tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before slicing, place wrapped loaves in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. This will allow you to slice the loaves thinly. Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice loaf into approximately 36 slices and place slices on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 300 F. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Flip crackers and continue baking for an additional 11-12 minutes until dry. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to crisp up. For extra crisp crackers, leave crackers in oven for an additional 3-6 minutes. Do not overbake.

Tip: Store tightly wrapped fruit and nut loaves in freezer bags until needed. Loaves will keep for up to 6 months. When needed, slice, bake and serve on the same day.

Makes 144 crackers.

Karen Gordon is a food blogger from North Vancouver who shares her recipe creations online at karentology.com, on Instagram at @karen.t.ology, and on Pinterest @karentologyblog.

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