Matzo Brittle – aka Matzo Smothered in Caramel and Chocolate
Chanukah means latkes first and foremost around here. But not too far behind is this treat. It’s not necessarily just for this holiday, but I always make at least a double or triple batch to share with family and friends. Because in my opinion, homemade treats are among the best gifts you can give. Unless someone doesn’t like chocolate. What?!
Anyway, as I said, I make batches of this stuff for Chanukah. And hey, since it’s pretty much fancied-up matzo, it’s perfect for Passover too!
And you can top it however you want! My personal favorite is a little bit of sea salt and toasted pistachios (pictured above). Go crazy – pretzels, almonds, marshmallows, chocolate candies, peanut butter candies, … I’m very excited to hear about your own perfect combinations!
Let’s get started! First, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Then place the matzo in a single layer, breaking the larger pieces to cover the entire bottom.
Then, preheat the oven to 350. While that is working, melt some butter and brown sugar together in a pot. Keep stirring and eventually, the butter and sugar are going to meld together!
Mm, doesn’t that look good? You want it to gently boil, while stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture will start to thicken and begin to pull slightly away from the sides of the pot. When it’s ready, remove it from the heat and add a little bit of vanilla (caution: it will bubble a lot so stand back and watch it closely!) and a good pinch of salt (I like my caramel slightly salted, omit if you prefer your caramel unsalted).
Next, you are going to pour the caramel over the matzo. Make sure all of the matzo is covered. Use a spatula to get those corners.
Pop that into the oven for about 15 minutes. But keep a close eye on it. Sugar sometimes has a mind of its own! If it looks like it is starting to burn, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. When it is done, the caramel will be bubbly, thick, and a little darker.
Sprinkle chocolate chips or finely chopped up baking chocolate over the matzo as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then don’t touch it for about 5 minutes so the chocolate can melt.
Using a spatula, spread the chocolate evenly across the matzo. Now comes the fun part – sprinkle your favorite toppings across it! If you are using something big like nuts, gently and carefully (it’s still hot!) press them into the chocolate. Here’s mine: half sprinkled with pistachios and the entire thing covered in a light sprinkle of sea salt.
Allow it to cool all the way. The caramel will harden as it cools and the chocolate will set. Because I’m impatient, I usually let it cool part way on the counter and the rest of the time in the refrigerator to speed things up. The chocolate may lose some of its shine but it will be just as tasty.
When it is fully cooled and set, break the matzo brittle into bite-sized pieces. Store it in an airtight container. It will keep for a few days at room temperature and a few extra days in the refrigerator (but honestly, it’s never lasted that long to find out!). I actually like putting a stash into the freezer to hide it from the rest of my family (shh!). Then I take a piece or two out when no one is around to enjoy with my morning coffee. I mean, afternoon coffee, because this isn’t for breakfast!
Enjoy!
Matzo Brittle – aka Matzo Smothered in Caramel and Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 sheets matzo
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- salt (optional)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (and kind will work, I prefer dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate)
- Toppings – sea salt, nuts, candies, pretzels, marshmallows, … (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Make a single layer of matzo on the baking sheet, breaking pieces as necessary to fit.
- Melt the butter and sugar together in a small pot over medium heat, stirring continuously with a heat-proof spoon or spatula. When the mixture starts to gently boil, give it another 3 – 4 minutes, stirring often. The mixture will thicken and begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and a big pinch of salt, if using. Be careful when adding the vanilla, the mixture will bubble vigerously so stand back!
- Carefully pour the mixture over the prepared matzo, using the spatula to make sure the matzo is compltely covered.
- Bake for about 15 minutes. If it starts to burn before then, lower the temperature to 325°. The caramel will be a little darker, very bubbly, and thicker when it is ready.
- Remove the matzo from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate over the top. Allow it to melt for about 5 minutes before spreading it evenly across the matzo with a spatula.
- Add your toppings, if desired! Carefully press the larger toppings, like nuts, into the chocolate so that they will stick better.
- Let cool completely to allow the caramel and chocolate to set and harden. Then, break into bite-sized pieces and store in an air tight container at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer.
- Enjoy!