Pioneer-style Hardtack
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the dough
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine the flour and water.
Knead until smooth.
Sprinkle some flour on a smooth surface and roll the dough flat until it is 1/4 inch thick.
Shape and bake
Cut biscuits out with a can or a glass, making each biscuit about 3-4 inches in diameter.
Poke holes into each biscuit with a fork.
Place biscuits on a floured cookie sheet.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. It should come out hard and dry.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Stone ground flour
- Forms the main structure of the dough and, once baked, sets into a hard, dry biscuit.
- Water
- Hydrates the flour so its proteins and starches form a cohesive, kneadable dough.
The step that matters
Baking until fully dry. Hardtack keeps for long periods only when it is baked until hard and dry. Removing moisture thoroughly prevents spoilage, so underbaked biscuits will not store well.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.