Matzo Crack

I've been saving this post for a while now, but since it's Passover and matzo is everywhere now, I figured it was time. The reason it's called matzo crack may be because you have to crack it into pieces at the end, but I think it's really because it's so utterly addictive that crack is the only word worthy of such a treat. You can make something similar with Saltines instead of matzo, but there's something about the texture of matzo that goes really well with this confection.

Matzo Crack (from thekitchn.com)
Makes about 30 pieces

4 to 5 pieces of matzo or enough Saltines to cover the bottom of a baking sheet
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and/or parchment paper.

Okay, yes, those are Saltines, not matzo, but I love the orderliness of this picture.

Place the matzo in one layer on the baking sheet, breaking it when necessary to fill the pan completely. Set aside.

Cooking the toffee

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue to cook for an additional three minutes, still stirring, until thickened and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over the matzo, spreading an even layer with a heat-proof spatula.

Toffee on matzo

Put the pan in the oven, then immediately turn the heat down to 350 °F. Bake for 15 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't burn. If it looks like it is starting to burn, turn heat down to 325 °F.

Melting the chocolate

After 15 minutes, the toffee should have bubbled up and turned a rich golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the pan. Let sit for five minutes, then spread the now-melted chocolate evenly with a spatula.

Let cool completely, then break into smaller pieces and store in an airtight container.

You can also add some toasted, chopped nuts on top (before the chocolate sets), but I think my topping of choice the next time I make this will be some sea salt, a la David Lebovitz's version.