Simple Cooking: A Dazzling Dessert

Do you like to be the hit of the dinner party, the belle of the potluck ball, the star of your Passover Seder? If so, I am going to give you the secret to making a splash wherever your dining adventures may take you: the dessert. In fact, this dessert is so amazing that your friends, family, other invited guests and people you don’t even know yet will be singing your praises as one of the best bakers around. And the secret? It’s one of the easiest desserts to make!

I have to thank Marcy Goldman for turning me on to this recipe, which is guaranteed to become a holiday – or any day! – favorite.

You only need 5 ingredients: matzo (or plain crackers), brown sugar, butter, chocolate chips, and sliced almonds. Steps with photos follow and full recipe is below.

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and parchment paper (you’ll need to do this as it gets sticky – you’ll thank me later) and cover entire baking sheet with matzo, breaking up smaller pieces to fill up any holes.

Step 2

Place butter (I use salted butter as it makes it even more yummy!) and brown sugar in saucepan. Heat until boiling and stir constantly for 3 minutes (no longer or you’ll be making pralines!).

Step 3

Pour melted butter/sugar over matzo, covering entire pan and every last nook and cranny!

Step 4

Put in oven and turn heat down to 350 degrees. Bake, watch and drool for 15 minutes. Take pan out of oven and sprinkle chocolate chips (I love Ghiradelli’s 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate) over entire pan. Wait 5 minutes and then spread chocolate chips (they’ll have melted by now) with spatula.

Step 5

Top with sliced almonds. (Hey, a redeeming benefit!)

Step 6

Cut into squares or break into pieces and chill in freezer. (Note: my freezer is skinny so I need to put the pieces on smaller baking sheets.) It’s important to do this step as soon as you can; the longer you wait, the caramel hardens and makes it hard to cut. Freeze for a bit and then transfer to an airtight storage container. For best results, keep in freezer until you’re ready to wow the masses!

Chocolate Caramel Matzo Crunch

Ingredients:

6-8 matzo (or crackers)
1 cup butter (or margarine if you’re keeping kosher)
1 cup brown sugar
1 10 oz. package chocolate chips
½ cup (or more!) sliced almonds

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with foil and parchment paper.
3. Cover baking sheet with matzo.
4. Melt butter & brown sugar over medium heat in saucepan until boiling – stir constantly for 3 minutes.
5. Pour butter mixture over matzo, covering matzo entirely.
6. Put in oven, turn down temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, top with chocolate chips, wait 5 minutes.
8. Spread chocolate chips over matzo, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
9. Cut immediately into squares or break into pieces and chill in freezer.
10. Once frozen, transfer to airtight storage container and keep in freezer until serving.

This post is the first installment of simple but scrumptious recipes that will please any crowd. As a working mother with two hungry guys to feed – my husband and son – I am always on the quest for easy, healthy (OK, so the dessert isn’t that healthy!) and delicious meals that can be made on a busy schedule and still give you the time to enjoy more of life. Bon appetit!