Baked Poppy + Sesame Tortilla Chips

Prep Time : 15 Minutes | Cook Time : 20 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy

Hello my lovelies! This is one of those things where I was mucking around trying to make myself a salty crunchy snack and the result was so genius that I have to share it with you. Sometimes you want something trashy to eat that tastes like nothing found in nature. And sometimes you want something better. Something that tastes like corn chips but better. Something that will impress people that come over. Something that you can feel smug about because it has less fat, salt, colours, and things only identified by numbers. These chips are all those things and more. Sick of chips snapping in half in a dip? No more! You can make these thicker and sturdier to stand up to any dip-related situation.

I don’t know why I never tried it before. They take no time at all to make and are ultra-satisfying. And not in that kinda-guilty way… Flavour these how you like, I have given a couple suggestions along with the recipe. For Kiwis, you can get corn masa at Moore Wilson in Wellington, online at tiopablo.co.nz, labocaloca.co.nz and other specialty food sites. Corn masa is not the same as cornmeal or corn flour. Masa is processed with lime (calcium oxide) and this will be listed in the ingredients, usually as ‘traces of lime’.

Heat the oven with the fan on to 200C (395F). Line two baking sheets with baking paper.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add the boiling water and oil and mix with a wooden spoon until it starts to come together.

Tip the dough out onto the bench and bring together with your hands.

Divide the dough into two and put one half on each on the pieces of baking paper you cut for your baking sheets. Roll each out as thin as you can. Using an extra piece of baking paper on top and rolling the dough between is the easiest method.

The thinner you can get it the crispier the chips will bake up. Tidy up any ragged edges as best you can. The dough can be pretty crumbly depending on how finely ground the masa is and it can crack and be annoying as you roll it out. just smush it back together with your fingertips and keep going.

Using a sharp knife cut the dough into squares/triangles/diamonds that are about 3 by 3 inches.

Into the oven. The chips will shrink slightly as they bake so when you pull them out they will all be separated. Bake both sheets at once for 8 minutes before switching the top and bottom trays and rotating them front to back, and baking for a further 8 minutes. The chips should be golden and crisp.

Cool the chips on the trays for a few minutes then transfer to a bowl or basket ready for munching.

Serve with your favourite dips. Impress people. Eat them all on the couch by yourself in front of Gilmore Girls…