Millet Crackers/Hirsekiks/小米饼干[xiǎo mǐ bǐng gān]

Adapted from Super Baby Food

Makes about 1 tray

Ingredients:
- 2 ½ TBS oil (I like to use walnut oil or macadamia nut oil)
- 1 ½ tsp honey or maple syrup
- 5 TBS skimmed milk
- ½ cup raw millet, ground to a powder in blender
- 1 tsp brewer’s yeast (optional)
- 1 TBS wheat germ (optional)
- pinch of salt (optional)
- ½ cup grahams flour
- ¼ cup grahams spelt flour

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in the order of the ingredient list.

2. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time until good dough consistency.

3. Knead for a few minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 portions and roll out 1 portion at a time to about 2-3mm thick using a rolling-pin.

4. Use a pizza-cutter or sharp knife to cut almost all the way through the dough (the baked biscuits will break easily at these score lines).

5. Prick several holes in each biscuit using a fork (these air holes is to help the biscuit to stay flat during baking)

6. Bake for 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 175° C until they are golden brown.

Storage:
Fresh biscuits stored in airtight container for 3-4 weeks at room temperature, 3 months in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.

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Additional Information:
The oatmeal crackers I made for J was such a big hit. He requested for it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. The first thing in the morning today, he did the hand sign for “more”, but I didn’t quite understand that it was biscuits he wanted. I brought him to the kitchen counter and the air-tight container with biscuits was also there. He pointed straight at it. His face lighted up each time I gave him the biscuits.

I brought some over for snack, when we visited our neighbour and her toddler, Amy. Amy is used to having commercial biscuits and cakes, so I didn’t think that she would like my healthy version of crackers. But she asked for more and more. So, it has been a great hit also with one other toddler. Needless to say, Daddy likes it too.

So this evening after dinner, I decided to roll up my sleeve and make more biscuits. Where do I get the energy from to make all these? Since J, Daddy and Amy enjoy it, it is worth all my efforts to spend time doing it, no matter how tired I am.

This evening, I made a new type of crackers - millet crackers. It would be interesting to see whether J would like it as much as the oatmeal cracker. This time round, I use less honey. I would like to see if I make it less sweet, whether it will reduce J's request for crackers.


References:
Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron