Hardtack is a kind of hard bread without yeast. This bread is generally consumed by soldiers in times of war, and sailors while sailing. Generally, hardtack is often infested with larvae, maggots, and beetles so the soldiers have to rack their brains to be able to eat them. However, of course you do not need to think about the pest problem. If stored dry, hardtack can last up to more than 50 years. If you plan on going backpacking for a long time, make and bring a few hardtacks to recharge.
Ingredients
Traditional Hardtack
- 6 cups flour
- 1 cup water
Soft Hardack
- 4 cups flour
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp cold butter/margarine/shortening
- 4 tsp salt
Fried Hardtack
- One of the recipes above
- Olive oil
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Step
Method 1 of 5: Traditional Hardtack
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
Step 2. Combine flour and water in a bowl
Pour the water into the bowl, then add the flour a little at a time while still stirring. Repeat this step until the mixture is too firm to stir. If the mixture is hard to mix, you have added enough flour.
Step 3. Knead the dough, then roll it out to a thickness of 1 cm
Step 4. Use a pizza cutter to cut the cake to a size of 7 cm x 7 cm
Step 5. Make 16 holes (four rows by four holes) with chopsticks
Step 6. Place the dough in a pan without oil/butter
Step 7. Bake the dough in the oven for 30 minutes
Step 8. Remove the cake, turn it over, then bake for another 30 minutes
Step 9. Remove the cake once it is golden yellow
Wait 30 minutes for the cake to cool before consuming it.
Method 2 of 5: Soft Hardtack
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
Step 2. Pour the flour into a bowl
Step 3. Add butter or shortening, then stir until lumpy
Step 4. Pour in the water
Step 5. Stir until all ingredients become dough
Step 6. Form the dough into a box with a diameter of 7 cm x 7 cm with a thickness of 1 cm
Step 7. Place the dough in a pan without oil/butter
Step 8. Make 16 holes (four rows by four holes) with chopsticks
Make sure each hole is 1 cm apart.
Step 9. Bake the dough in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove and wait for it to cool
Note: Since this recipe uses fat, the hardtack will oxidize or go rancid in no time. Because of this, soft hardbacks cannot be stored for long periods of time
Method 3 of 5: Fried Hardtack
Step 1. Combine water, salt, melted butter and your choice of seasoning
Add flour as needed. Follow the steps for making a hardtack according to the recipe above.
Step 2. After making the dough, take a handful of dough, then form it into a circle and roll it out
Step 3. Fry the hardtack on low heat, and increase the heat as needed
Keep in mind that oil can splash at high temperatures.
It is recommended that you use olive oil
Step 4. Remove the hardtack from the frying pan
To remove grease, place the hardtack in a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 5. Serve immediately
Sprinkle hardtack with powdered sugar if you like.
Store hardtack in an airtight container
Method 4 of 5: Consuming Hardtack
Step 1. Sprinkle the hardtack pieces into a cup of coffee, and wait a while for the coffee to soak
Step 2. Fry hardtack in pork oil
Step 3. Make a hardtack "waffle"
Soak the hardtack in water overnight, then fry it in butter and serve it for breakfast. Real hardtack will not break when soaked. The texture will only become softer and more chewy.
Method 5 of 5: Hardtack Variation
Step 1. To make a more delicious hardtack, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil
However, the oil will cause the hardtack to go rancid within weeks or months, depending on room temperature and other factors.
Step 2. Add 1/4 cup cinnamon or sugar for a sweet hardtack
However, sugar can decrease shelf life and attract moss.
Step 3. Salt can enhance the taste of the hardtack, but decrease its authenticity if the hardtack is made for the purpose of studying or commemorating history
Tips
- The texture of the cake will be quite hard after it is cooked. If you are making a hardtack for historical reasons, make a hardtack a month before displaying it, and store it in a dry place for maximum hardness.
- Hardtack is generally grated with a sharp knife to be consumed with broth. This will make the broth thicken, much like soup.
Warning
- If you wear braces, dental crowns, or have brittle teeth, don't take hardtack.
- Adding sugar or other flavorings will dramatically decrease the shelf life of the hardtack.
- Hardtack is a plain food. This cake will absorb the flavor from the dye.
