Poppy Seed Crackers with Egg Mousse and Caviar
This elegant appetizer features crisp, savory poppy seed crackers topped with a rich, velvety egg mousse. The delicate mousse, infused with chives and lemon, provides a creamy contrast to the cracker's crunch. Finished with a luxurious dollop of caviar and fresh chives, this dish offers a refined balance of textures and flavors, perfect for entertaining.
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor Essential for both cracker dough and egg mousse
- 1 Rolling Pin For rolling out cracker dough
- 1 Baking Sheet For baking the crackers
- 1 Parchment Paper For rolling dough and lining baking sheets
- 1 Pastry Bag with Medium Tip For neat piping of the egg mousse
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon half-and-half
- About 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 ounce caviar
- Fresh chives cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Instructions
- For the poppy seed crackers: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pulse the flour, poppy seeds, onion powder and kosher salt together in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup of the half-and-half and process until the dough begins to clump together.
- Lay out a large piece of parchment paper and dust it with flour. Turn the dough out onto the parchment, form it into a flat rectangle and then roll it out to approximately 10 by 17 inches. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
- Trim the dough to straighten the edges, then cut into 2-by-1-inch rectangles. Brush the tops with the remaining tablespoon of half-and-half and sprinkle with the flaky sea salt. Transfer the crackers on the parchment to a baking sheet and bake until crisp and light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. (The crackers can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
- For the egg mousse: Pulse the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice and some kosher salt in a food processor until very smooth. Add the chives and pulse to combine. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble: Pipe the mousse onto the crackers. Top with a small dollop of caviar and some chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
For the crackers, ensuring the butter is ice-cold and only pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal is paramount for a tender, flaky texture. Overworking the dough will develop gluten, leading to tough crackers. Freezing the rolled dough briefly facilitates clean cuts and prevents shrinkage during baking. When preparing the egg mousse, process until exceptionally smooth for a luxurious mouthfeel. Chilling the mousse in the pastry bag allows it to firm up, making piping neat and precise. The quality of caviar significantly impacts the final dish; use a reputable source. Assemble just before serving to maintain the cracker's crispness and the mousse's delicate texture. A light hand with the flaky sea salt on the crackers complements the caviar without overpowering it.