Volcanic Flow Appetizer (Printer version)

Crisp charred crackers paired with a fiery red pepper jelly for a bold, shareable starter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crackers

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons activated charcoal powder (food grade)
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1/3 cup water

→ Spicy Red-Hot Jelly

07 - 1 cup red pepper jelly
08 - 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (adjust to taste)
09 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, activated charcoal powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Add olive oil and water, stirring until a dough forms.
03 - Roll the dough thinly between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut into irregular lava rock shapes using a knife or cookie cutter.
04 - Arrange crackers on the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and dry. Allow to cool completely.
05 - In a small bowl, combine red pepper jelly, hot sauce, chili flakes, and lime juice. Warm gently if necessary to achieve a pourable consistency.
06 - Arrange crackers in a ring on a serving plate, leaving a center space. Spoon the spicy red-hot jelly into the middle to form a fiery crater. Serve immediately for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours on it when you really just mixed a dough and heated some jelly, which is basically cooking magic.
  • The heat builds gradually as you dip, so even people who think they hate spicy food keep reaching back for more.
  • You can make the crackers days ahead, which means less chaos when guests actually arrive.
02 -
  • Don't let the charcoal dough sit too long before baking or it gets gummy. Work quickly and bake straight away.
  • The crackers must cool completely on the tray before you touch them, or they fall apart like they never set properly.
  • Leftover crackers get soggy if stored with the jelly, so keep them separate and assemble just before serving.
03 -
  • Make the crackers up to three days ahead and store them in an airtight container so you only have to assemble the jelly on party day.
  • The jelly mixture tastes better if you let it sit for at least an hour after mixing, giving the lime juice and spices time to really marry together.
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