April 8, 2011

Smoky Chipotle Cheese Crisps (Low Carb)

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

So the good news is that my computer is going to be okay. It’s a good thing too, because after 24 hours apart, I miss it desperately. I knew I was attached to the darn thing, but I didn’t quite realize HOW attached. It usually sits on my kitchen counter, and besides hitting the start button on my coffee maker, turning on my computer is the first thing I do every morning. It’s my lifeline to the world. It keeps me in touch with old friends and it helps me make new ones. It provides both my livelihood and my entertainment. Although my husband has almost the identical computer, it’s not mine and it isn’t set up the way I like it. I can’t wait to have my computer back in my hands, which should be sometime today. I think I might actually hug it.

I did manage to find some time in between worrying about my beloved piece of machinery to whip up these delicious crisps. I was itching to make these the minute I saw them in Martha Stewart’s Fresh Flavor Fast. My mother had made something similar once when I went to visit, little crispy, cheesy cracker bites that were so good, I was hard pressed not to eat them all in one sitting. And the memory of them has stayed with me. I don’t know why I never asked my mum for her recipe, but I was thrilled to find one in the cookbook my parents-in-law gave me for my birthday.

I considered trying to make them entirely with almond flour so that they would be gluten free. But I wasn’t sure how well they would hold together if I didn’t use something that contained gluten. I decided that for my first try, I would use a combination of carbalose and almond flour. I also decided to swap out the cayenne for chipotle. I have a bit of a chipotle obsession. Beyond being hot, it has a deep smokiness that I can’t seem to get enough of. I thought it would be perfect for these crisps.

The Results: Hello, awesome cheesiness! Although mine didn’t turn out looking quite as perfect as Martha’s, I suspect no one’s ever does. No one is ever as perfect as Martha, are they? Mine melted and ran a bit more than hers, but it hardly matters, they taste so great. I was right about the chipotle, it adds a dimension of smoky flavour that goes so well with toasted cheese. My kids love them and they were quite easy to make – the only hard part is waiting for them to cool down enough to eat them.

These would be a great appetizer or party snack. You can throw the dough together earlier and then slice them up and bake them before guests arrive. Whether you make them low carb or regular carb, you must make these. I will be making them again for certain, and next time I may try going all almond flour to make a gluten free version.

Note: If you want to make the regular version, use 1 cup all-purpose flour in place of the carbalose and almond flours. Also set the oven temp to 400F and bake for 16-18 minutes.

Smoky Chipotle Cheese Crisps – adapted from Fresh Flavor Fast

2/3 cups carbalose flour
1/4 almond flour
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick butter, room temperature and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

In a large bowl, whisk together the carbalose flour, almond flour, chipotle powder and salt. Stir in the cheese and butter and work the mixture with your fingers, rubbing in the butter, until a dough forms and holds together.

Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper and form into a log, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll log back and forth to make it round. Roll up tightly in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice log into 1/4 inch slices and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are golden. If you put both baking sheets in at once, be sure to rotate their positions halfway through baking.

Let cool on pan 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 45 crisps. Each crisp has 1g of carbs and 0.5g of fiber.

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Comments