Daring Bakers: September Challenge - Lavash Crackers & Toppings

This month's Daring Bakers Challenge is to bake crackers that are vegan and/or gluten free and make a dip for it.
The recipe for the crackers is from Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Bakers Apprentice. I used spelt whole wheat flour, instead of the flour suggested in the original recipe, which made the crackers smell and taste extra delicious.

THE CRACKERS
Ingredients
200g spelt whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
~125ml water, at room temperature
Sesame seeds

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 125ml of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 25°C -27°C. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

4. Mist the counter lightly with oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds on the dough. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

7. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.


THE DIP: GUACAMOLE
Ingredients
1 avocado
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 chili pepper, chopped
1 garlic glove, chopped
some herbs (I took a handfull of various herbs I had at hand)
a dash of salt
a dash of pepper

1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the stone. Scrape out the avocado with a spoon.

2. Put the limejuice on the avocado flesh, then add the chopped chili pepper, the garlic and salt & pepper.

3. Puree the mixture with a hand blender


Here are some pictures of my outcomes:

The crackers before baking


The finished crackers


They are not very thin, but I like it that way


With guacamole