Question about crackers

[Coonlie]

I've made three different cracker recipes since starting raw two weeks ago. The greatest tasting one is the onion cracker that I found here. My question is about drying time. The onion cracker recipe says to dehydrate for 5 hours, then turn and do 3-4 hours more, until crispy. Well, I put mine in the dehydrator at 105 degrees for 5 hours, turned them and in 4 hours more, they were still soft and doughy. I ended up drying them for over 36 hours and they are still not completely crispy (although still very tasty). I had the same thing with the other cracker recipes. I dried them for 48 hours and they never did get completely crispy. I'm using a 9-tray Excalibur at 105 degrees.

Am I doing something wrong? I'd sure like to have crispy crackers. As Abeba says, "if it's not krispy, it's not a kracker!"

BTW, when I'm in a hurry, I like whipping up a quick pate or spread with any raw nut/vegetable mixture and eating it with crackers. My husband says they taste good but he "gets tired of eating something that looks like it should when it comes out the other end!" :D :D

[Rawkinlocs]

If you leave them, they will get crunchy. But how thick or thin are you spreading your crackers? Also, when you are flipping them over, you ARE flipping onto the mesh tray and not onto teflex again, right?

One thing I've learned is that dehydrating times in recipes don't always work for everyone - sometimes the climate and temperatures play a factor. You can always also turn the dehydrator up a little bit more than just 105 to, say maybe 110.

The ingredients used can also cause some crackers to have to dry longer than others as well. So, again, the ones you already have in there, leave them and they will get crunchy.

[Coonlie]

Thank you Rawkinlocs. I'm spreading them about 1/4" thick and yes, I am turning them onto a mesh tray. I guess it must have something to do with my climate/humidity or something. So, just keep going and they will get crispy, eh? After 48 hrs, I just gave up and ate them half-crispy!

[Rawkinlocs]

You "may" have spread them a little too thick but yeah, next time try turning the dehydrator up a little bit more to about 110-112. You live in Chicago (I used to live in Detroit) and yeah, sometimes that will play a factor - along with the ingredients used. They may dry faster for someone in California or Florida or you may notice that things dry faster in summer months.

[trinity082482]

I have dried things too. I made a recipe that could easily turn into a cracker. It has almond pulp or ground almonds, flax seed brown and golden, sea salt and some Olive oil. Made into a dough like texture. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours. When you take it out lay it on a cutting board and lay plastic wrap on top and roll over it with a rolling pin until its as thin as you want. Depending on how thick they are it could take several hours to dry. Mine have been drying for 7 hours and they aren't crispy yet but getting there. I flip them every hour or longer.
I would keep your bread in as long as it tasks to crisp up. :D