Worth the palava – totally moreish. Best served with strong cheddar, goats cheese and Gorgonzola

INGREDIENTS

Pear Chutney

• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion
• 1 cooking apple
• 1 sweet pear
• 50g dried dates
• 50ml balsamic vinegar
• 30g dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• Salt and pepper to taste

 Crackers

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp coarse sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried poppy seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 60g unsalted butter
• 100ml cold water

METHOD

Pear Chutney

1. Chop all ingredients
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onions for around 5 minutes
3. Add the apples, pears and dates, and cook for a further 10 minutes
4. Add the vinegar and sugar, season, spice, and stir until sugar is melted
5. Transfer to jar and refrigerate

 Crackers

1. Line three baking trays with parchment
2. Sift the flour and combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
3. Chop the butter up and add this to the bowl, rubbing it into the dry mixture by hand
4. Add 100ml cold water and mix until a dough
5. Cut this dough in quarters and roll out a quarter at a time between two pieces of baking parchment until about 1mm thick
6. Cut out crackers with a 6cm fluted edge cutter. Repeat with remaining dough and transfer raw crackers to the baking trays. Prick each cracker uniformly with a fork in three rows. When all trays have raw crackers on them, refrigerate the trays for around 20 minutes
7. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. After chilling, put trays into the oven and bake for 21 minutes
8. Remove trays from the oven and transfer crackers to cooling rack
9. Serve with chutney and cheese