This month, The Daring Bakers are making our own kind of history. For the first time, the monthly challenge is hosted two ‘alternative’ Daring Bakers, Shel and Natalie. The challenge was to make Lavash Crackers from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice plus a vegan and gluten-free dip. Fantastic! I’ve been wondering when our next savoury challenge would come and yay! Here it is!
So what is lavash? Lavash is an Armenian flatbread that is pretty versatile. Straight from the oven it is soft and pliable, but upon cooling it hardens to a cracker texture. I’d never heard of this bread before the challenge was announced, despite owning The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. I guess I must have skipped over the page whilst flicking through my own copy of the BBA but now that I’ve been introduced to them I’m quite enamoured.
The dough was very quick to mix, with a nice smooth texture from the oil. Perhaps I added too much water, but my dough didn’t double in size, despite leaving it for almost two hours at room temperature (21.5C according to our fantastic new digital thermostat) but as it had risen a bit, I figured that I could just go ahead and roll it out as I did want very thin crackers.
To make life easier on myself, I rolled the dough out directly on a teflon sheet and then wiggled a baking sheet underneath the whole affair. It took maybe about 15 minutes to get the dough as thin and even as possible.
I really liked the spice and seed combination shown in The Bread Baker’s Apprentice so I decided to go with that and proceeded to sprinkle and strew the sheet of dough with the most amazing array of earthy colours and textures. As I was worried about the seeds and spice falling off after the crackers had baked, I prodded them down into the dough. Oh, I did make one small change. I used smoked Maldon salt to give it a bit of a kick.
As they baked, a spicy-sweet aroma drifted out from the kitchen. I tried not to hover over the oven, but as usual I found myself standing there watching the crackers bake. I guess I shouldn’t laugh at Lucas watching the washing machine going round and round and round if I can stand in front of the oven and watch bread baking with equal levels of fascination…
The crackers came out wonderfully thin and crispy with all the toppings firmly stuck in place. Hurrah! As I’d opted to pre-cut the crackers, all I had to do was snap off as many as I wanted and taste away.
I originally planned to serve the lavash with some pea guacamole, the idea being that the sweetness of the peas would contrast nicely with the earthiness of the spices. But… when it came down to it, I realised that not only had I forgotten to thaw the peas, I’d used up my limes and salsa earlier on in the week. There was no way that I was going out to the supermarket on the busiest night of the week, so I hit the pantry for inspiration.
After tossing back and forth a few options, I settled on making a chickpea and pomegranate molasses dip. I guess this is really just a bit of a twist on hummus, but who cares? It was very easy and very delicious with a gorgeous balance between the sweet and sour molasses and the creamy chickpeas. I loved how the pomegranate was the first and last thing you tasted in the dip, effortlessly sliding from achingly sour to a wonderfully sweet aftertaste which combined perfectly with the spices.
The lavash were an absolute breeze to make and great fun, too. I’m really proud of how thin I managed to get them, but there’s still room for improvement. Next time I’ll run the dough through my pasta machine for the ultimate in thinness. These would be great, broken into artistic shards and served with a rainbow of dips, at a drinks party if I ever were to host such a thing. Less glamorously, but equally as delicious, they make a great afternoon snack with just about any dip or extra topping–gluttonous? Moi?–you can think of.
Check out The Daring Bakers Blogroll to see everyone else’s lovely lavash and dips! Thanks for an awesome challenge, Natalie and Shel!
Chickpea and Pomegranate Molasses Dip
400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large clove of garlic, chopped finely
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Drizzle with extra pomegranate molasses to serve.
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Looks beautiful! Pomegranate molasses? I have never seen that! Must look for it…
Your crackers look wonderful. I love the lines of seeds and spices, so pretty. I’ve been caught sitting on the floor watching things bake too
Adding pomegranate molasses to the houmous is a nice addition.
Well done. They look beautiful and so perfect with that spread.
perfect crackers and spread!
Oooooooh lovely…I did almost the same toppings. Love your dip…never tried this before! Chick peas with pomegranate molasses sound too good to be true.
Your crackers look great. I had the same problem in that my dough was very wet and didn’t rise much either – the final results were still wonderful. I made Garlic Hummus, but your version sounds like one I need to try as well.
Beautiful crackers. I wish I had so many things on my spice rack to coat my crackers. Another time… this is surely a recipe to repeat!
I have to buy pomegranate molasses ! Must be to die for ! BTW, your crackers look perfect !
Chickpea and pomegranate dip – sounds superb and super yum!
Wonderful dip with pomegranate! Great job, Elga db member, http://semidipapavero.splinder.com
Ha! You will see in my post that I was excited to use pomegranate molasses for the first time, and now I’ll have another recipe to try. So funny. Your crackers look great too – the smoked salt sounds like it would add a nice flavor dimension.
Pomegranate molasses dip sounds wonderful. The pictures of your crackers are great!
Great crackers and dip! Very flavorful!
Cheers,
Rosa
I need to find pomegranite molasses! The dip looks awesome. I love the colors and textures in that first photo!
Your crackers look fantastic! Great job!
ow… the dip sounds amazing…
Gorgeous! I love how you sprinkled on the toppings in straight lines, and then cut the crackers so that each one had a couple different flavors.
Your pictures are beautiful! Your crackers look delicious! And I’m impressed with your resourcefulness in creating a wonderful dip from your pantry!
I love the idea of sprinkling the dough sheet with different spices and/or seeds and cutting it into long crackers.
and chickpea and pomegranate molasses dip… that sounds just fantastic!:)
Your pride is well founded! Nice work – your toppings are so artfully placed.
Great job. Your picture is really stunning.
Cheers
Your crackers are beautiful! Your dip sounds divine–mine had pomegranite and walnuts, and your flavor description was spot on. Nicely done.
Pomagranate molasses is one of my favorite ingredients. Great combo!
Your twist on hummus sounds fabulous with these crackers!
What an interesting spread! And great looking lavash!
You made some really beautiful crackers, and I love the idea of pomegranate molasses in hummus!
what i love most about this entry is the way you explained the tastes. i am not a fan of pomegranate but your description of how the sourness of it contrasted with the creaminess of the chickpeas *almost* inspires me to give it a try.
i also love love love that you made do with what you had in your pantry. i can understand how just whipping something up from what is handy is so much more convenient than running out to the market for just a few ingredients. thank you for your great post.
There is something about thin crisp carackers, isn’t there?
I’ve seen quite a few chickpes dips, but the pomegranate twist is most interesting.
your crackers look just great! The pomegranate with chickepeas is quite inspiring!
Pomegranate molassess — another thing I must add to my pantry. Beautiful everything!
Amazing, who would have ever thought of pomegranate molasses? This is something I am definitely going to try. Great presentation.
Absolutely beautiful!
Angela this looks amazingly good and beautifully presented!
Maria
x
Hi Chris! Pomegranate molasses is just pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick syrup consistency. It’s a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, so you should be able to pick it up in a ME store/market.
Hi Katie! Thank-you!
Hi Alexa! Thank-you! I was really pleased (and somewhat relieved) at how well the dip went with the crackers. A definite keeper, for sure!
Hi Rachel! Thank-you!!
Hi Deeba! You must try chickpeas and pomegranate molasses! It’s just so good. I’m contemplating trying it in a dressing for whole chickpea salad instead of tamarind.
Hi Erik! I made the dough again yesterday–for pizza, which was fabulous–and used a little less water. The dough rose really well and rolled slightly easier. Oh, I also didn’t oil the bowl which I’m certain helped with the rise.
Hi Bronwyn! I’m a bit of a spice junkie, so yeah… I had plenty to choose from. Maybe too much choice!
Hi Foodie Froggy! Thank-you! I’ve yet to really experiment with pomegranate molasses, but I really like it.
Hi Ann! Thank-you!
Hi Elga! Thanks very much. Glad you like the look of it!
Hi Jenny! Too funny
And we both used poppy seeds, too!
Hi Allison! Thank-you!
Hi Rosa! Thank-you! The crackers and dip were great together
Hi Lori! The first picture is my favourite, too
Hi April! Thank-you!!
Hi Aran! It really was amazing. We loved it.
Hi Hannah! Cutting the crackers this way gave us a different taste with each bite. Loved it!
Hi Barbara! There’s definitely something to be said for having a pantry full of impulse buys!
Hi Snjezana! Thank-you! I wanted to make something pretty and sprinkling seeds/spices in a line just seemed like a good idea.
Hi Dana! Thank-you so much!
Hi Babeth! Thank-you!
Hi Bumblebottom! It’s funny, you know. I loathe the flavour of fresh pomegranate seeds, but I adore the juice and of course, the molasses.
Hi Erin! I’ve had this bottle lurking in the cupboard for a year, but not used it much beyond the odd tagine or two. I’m definitely looking to play with it a bit more.
Hi Shari! Thank-you! They were so good together.
Hi clumbsycookie! The dip was fantastic and actually improved on sitting overnight in the fridge. Very yummy!
Hi Rebecca! Thank-you!
Hi Lan! I am also not a fan of pomegranate–well, it’s the crunch from the seeds that I hate, mostly–but pomegranate molasses is a different kettle of fish. It’s like all the good parts of pomegranate distilled into the most amazing syrup. If you ever spot a small bottle of it somewhere then do give it a go!
Hi Aparna! Thin crackers are just so addictive!
Hi Dharm! Thank-you!!
Hi Susan! Thank-you! I’ve been wondering if it is sweet enough to use instead of sugar in flatbreads. Could be interesting…
Hi Lynn! Thanks for the compliment on my presentation! I’ve been trying to work on it and obviously I’m having a little success if you liked it!
Hi Vera! Thank-you!
Hi Maria! Thank-you so much!
Your crackers came out a lot like mine, but prettier
Awesome dip combination! I never would have thought of combining chickpeas with a fruity molasses! I can’t wait to try it! 
Hi Lisa! If only we could email food… I would happily send you some chickpea and pomegranate molasses dip, right to your hospital bed!
I love the stripes of seeds, they look so pretty! And thanks for the dip recipe. I have a jar of pomegranate molasses that I used for a recipe that has laid dormant for a while. Sounds like it was destined to be this dip!
Hi Lorraine! Thank-you!! I think everyone has a purchase like that lurking in their cupboard
Your crackers look amazing, and I adore the sound of the dip! I really need to get over my baking mental block!!
Your photos are very nice and I love the look of those crackers! Great job with these!
Great job on the crackers. They look like an abstract. Gorgeous photos.
i love the sound of that dip and the toppings on the crackers looks so good!
Hi Jeanne! I didn’t realise that you had a mental block, or anything like that… I’m sure I’ve seen you bake some fab stuff in the past. The crackers are dead easy… you just need to roll and beat them into submission.
Hi Gretchen! Thank-you!
Hi Lynne! I hadn’t thought about it, but I guess the first shot does look like an abstract painting. Well spotted! And thank-you
Hi Meeta! Thank-you!! I’m looking forward to making the dip again… it was really good.
[...] Reinhart’s pizza dough recipe from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice—coincidentally, last month’s challenge came from the same book—and left us endless options for [...]
Great recipe, mentioned it today in my pomegranate post
Have a great day!