If you want to make crackers or flatbread (such as the fabulous raw corn tortilla recipe), you will need to have some Teflex sheets, as all recipes call for them. Teflex sheets are thin flexible sheets which you put on top of the dehydrator screen, so that goopy or drippy things don’t end up falling through the screen, or so that, in a case such as crackers and flatbreads, you can smooth the dough on to them.
Nearly all recipes I have seen for raw crackers and flatbreads call for dividing the dough onto two or more Teflex sheets, and spreading the dough out to the edges of the sheet, using either your hands or a spatula of some sort.
Now, I have discovered three things which make the process of spreading raw cracker or flatbread dough onto a Teflex sheet a snap:
1. Get yourself a length of that cushioned shelf liner, like this one here
Now, when you are spreading things on a Teflex sheet, put the sheet on top of that square of rubber shelf liner, and it will keep the Teflex sheet from slipping about. Once you have finished spreading your dough on the sheet, you can transfer the Teflex sheet, with the dough, onto the dehydrator screen.
2. Get yourself an offset spatula to use for spreading your dough. I got this tip from the Raw Food/Real World cookbook, which I adore. An offset spatula looks like this.
3. Now that you have an offset spatula, here is perhaps the best tip of all. Offset spatulas are what one uses for frosting cakes. In fact, this is what lead me to this idea. Most recipes will tell you to divide the dough onto the Teflex sheets, and then spread it out. Don’t do that! Instead, divide the dough but leave it in the bowl. Then, frost the Teflex sheet with the dough, as if you were frosting a cake. So instead of putting a blob of dough in the middle of the Teflex sheet and spreading it out from there, simply put a bit of dough on your offset spatula, spread it on a section of the Teflex sheet (again, as if frosting a cake), get some more dough on the spatula, and continue the process until the sheet is covered . This is so much easier!!!
Links to things used in these tips:
Teflex sheets (These are being discountinued in favour of Paraflexx disposable sheet. If you, like me, prefer reusable, not disposable, grab them while you can. This link is to a distributor who is closing them out through ebay.)
When I read your tip about icing the Teflex sheet, I couldn’t belive how simple that would be! Sooo much easier! Thanks!
that may work for you, but I am old school. A damp kitchen towel or damp paper towel works just as well, been using them for over 40 years in my kitchen. Thanks Granny for the great idea economical idea. (cause the rubber shelf liner isn’t that cheap)
I am so glad I found the idea. I can’t wait to try it. I went to the local Dollar Tree and and the liners for a dollar, they work great. These are a little smaller than my 14 X 14 but now that I know they work so well I will make the investment (not really much considering what I paid for the dehydrator and 9 sheets). I am all about saving time and frustration in the kitchen on dehydration day!