posted by Mimi Hiller 08-15-99 10:53 AM
Marcy Goldman's "A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking,"
Caramel Matzoh Crunch
4-6 unsalted matzohs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter* or unsalted Passover margarine
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate*
Preheat oven to 375F.
Line a large (or two smaller) cookie sheet completely with foil.
Cover the bottom of the sheet with baking parchment on top of the foil.
This is very important since the mixture becomes sticky during baking.
Line the bottom of the cookie sheet evenly with the matzohs, cutting extra pieces, as required, to fit any spaces.
In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter or margarine and the brown sugar.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 2 to 4 minutes).
Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and pour over the matzoh, covering completely.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350F.
Bake for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, remove the pan from the oven, lower the heat to 325F, and replace the pan).
Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate or chips.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzoh.
While still warm, break into squares or odd shapes.
Chill, still in the pan, in the freezer until set.
As a variation, Marcy suggests using "coarsely chopped white chocolate or a combination of white and dark, and chopped or slivered toasted almonds (sprinkled on top as the chocolate sets).
You can also omit the chocolate for a caramel-alone buttercrunch."
My own note on this: you can use the almonds without the chocolate, too, by sprinkling them on just before you put the pan in the oven.
* Make sure the chocolate is dairy free, and for strict kosher use approved margarine.