In 1985, Marcy Goldman unknowingly created a recipe that would become a staple of Passover kitchens from coast to coast. At the time, she was a freelance food writer and young mother in search of a Passover dessert that her toddler would enjoy. So she developed something that could woo the pickiest eater: matzo buttercrunch, a tantalizing candy made from caramel and chocolate swirled on top of pieces of matzo.
Ingredients
For the Matzo Caramel Buttercrunch
- 4-6unsalted matzo boards or sheets
- 1cup unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine
- 1cup light brown sugar, packed firmly
- ¾cup chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350. Line doubled up, rimmed cookie sheets completely with foil. Cover bottom of pan with baking parchment, on top of foil. This is very important as mixture becomes sticky during baking. Line bottom of pan evenly with matzo boards, cutting extra pieces of matzo, as required, to fit any spaces on the cookie sheet as evenly as possible.
- Step 2
Combine margarine or butter and brown sugar in a 3 quart, heavy-bottomed, saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and spoon or pour over matzo.
- Step 3
Bake 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure mixture is not burning. If it seems to be browning too quickly, remove from oven, lower heat to 325, and replace.
- Step 4
Remove from oven and sprinkle matzo boards immediately with chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand 5 minutes then spread melted chocolate over matzo. While still warm cut into squares or odd shapes. Chill in refrigerator until set. This makes a good gift. You can also serve it in confectioners’ paper cups as a candy.
To Make the Variations
White Chocolate: use white chocolate only (there is kosher/Passover white chocolate) and swirl it on and/or with dark chocolate as well.
Pecan or Toasted Almond: Add chopped pecans or almonds to the brown sugar butter base and spread it on and/or add the pecans on top of the melting chocolate.
Raspberry White Chocolate: Use white or dark chocolate; as it is melted on matzo boards, swirl on a few tablespoons of raspberry jam. Marbleize the jam into the chocolate. Freeze well before serving.
You can also use white chocolate, coarsely chopped (or both white and dark) and chopped, toasted almonds (sprinkle on top as chocolate sets).
White sugar: If you prefer white sugar, or if you can’t find kosher brown sugar (i.e., for Passover) follow these directions:
Place 2 cups of white sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat on low to medium until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until mixture turns medium amber. Pour over matzo, which is laid out on baking sheets. Spread and sprinkle on chocolate chips.
No baking for this version.
© A Marcy Goldman, BetterBaking.Com Original Recipe