Taco chips made in the Thermomix® are a staple at our Mexican evenings. We have been making them ourselves for years, because shop-bought chips are either soggy or too salty.
The dough takes 3 minutes on kneading mode in the Thermomix®, then you roll it out, cut it up and bake it for 10 minutes at 200°C. The result is crispy, has a real maize flavour and contains no preservatives.
Homemade Taco Chips with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 9 ✓
- 250 g maize flour
- 150 g plain flour (type 405) + a little extra for rolling
- 250 g milk
- 20 g olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp chilli powder
Instructions 0 / 5
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1
Knead the taco chip dough.
Place all ingredients into the mixing bowl and knead for 3 minutes / kneading mode.
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2
Preheat the oven.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C top and bottom heat. Line a baking tray with baking paper and flour the work surface.
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3
Roll out the dough.
Roll out the dough to approximately 3 mm thickness and place on the baking tray.
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4
Cut the chips..
Pierce the dough several times with a fork, then cut into strips using a pizza cutter or knife. Cut the strips into triangles.
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5
Bake the taco chips.
Bake the taco chips for about 10 minutes until crispy, then leave to dry out with the oven door slightly ajar.
Tip: If you like spicy taco chips, add a little extra chilli powder or chilli flakes to the dough.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why 250 g maize flour to 150 g plain flour
The ratio of 250 g maize flour to 150 g plain flour is the structural core of this recipe. Maize flour alone does not bind well enough and the dough would crumble when rolled out. Plain flour alone makes the chips hard rather than crispy. The 5:3 ratio delivers the maize flavour and crunch, while the gluten from the plain flour holds the dough together.
We tried increasing the plain flour content several times to make the dough easier to roll. Above 200 g of plain flour the chips become chewy. Conversely, below 120 g of plain flour the dough breaks apart when rolled out.
3 minutes on kneading mode is enough
The kneading mode in the Thermomix® works for 3 minutes at a firm but not aggressive speed. That is exactly the time the gluten from the plain flour needs to develop. After 3 minutes the dough is smooth and elastic. Less time and the dough stays crumbly; longer brings no benefit.
Roll out on a floured surface straight after kneading. The dough remains workable for about 10 minutes before it starts to dry out.
Rolling to 3 mm thickness
3 mm is the right thickness. Thinner and the chips become too hard; thicker and they stay soft inside. We do not measure with a ruler, but roll until the dough is just thin enough to hold together without tearing.
Pierce the dough several times with a fork before cutting. This prevents bubbles forming during baking. Without piercing, individual chips puff up and bake unevenly.
Cut into triangles with a pizza cutter
A pizza cutter is the best tool for this job. First cut the dough into even strips, then diagonally into triangles. A knife works too but often drags the dough and distorts the edges.
The triangles do not need to be perfect. Different sizes are no problem as long as the thickness is right. Smaller chips will be a little crispier; larger ones will stay softer inside.
200°C top and bottom heat for crunch
The chips need 200°C top and bottom heat. At a lower temperature they just dry out without going crispy. At a higher temperature the edges burn before the centres are done.
Bake for 10 minutes, then switch off the oven and open the door a crack. The chips finish drying in the residual heat. That is what makes the difference between crispy and leathery.
Adjust the spices to your heat tolerance
1 tsp of chilli powder gives a mild background heat. For more spice, use 2 tsp of chilli powder or add chilli flakes to the dough. If you want no heat at all, leave out the chilli powder and use only the hot smoked paprika.
The hot smoked paprika is not actually a heat source; it adds colour and a slightly smoky flavour. Sweet paprika works too but tastes flatter.
Serve with salsa, guacamole or cheese dip
Taco chips are great on their own but even better with a dip. Our standard is Salsa Dip, Guacamole or Nacho Cheese Dip. The chips hold their texture even with wet dips, provided they have been properly dried out.
In an airtight tin
The chips keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight tin. After that they go soft, even if the tin is sealed properly. They are crispiest straight from the oven, but still good the next day.
Goes well with: Sour Cream.
Do not store in the fridge as the moisture will soften them. Room temperature is correct.
More Thermomix® snacks and dips: Salsa Dip, Guacamole, Nacho Cheese Dip.
