Salted Matzo Toffee (aka Matzo Crack) is toffee-infused matzo topped with a blanket of chocolate and a sprinkling of sea salt. It's a sweet, salty, and crunchy treat that's perfect for Passover, or use saltines for an anytime treat!
Why this recipe works
- Matzo Toffee (aka Matzo Crack) is easy to make with just 6 ingredients
- Perfect for Passover, Matzo Toffee can also be made dairy-free
- This sweet, salty, crunchy treat is wonderfully addictive!
Could you bake without flour or leavening?
That's what happens during Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the biblical Israelites' flight from Egypt. During Passover, observant Jews will eat an unleavened bread called matzo (literally, the "Bread of Affliction," sometimes spelled matzah), a bland cracker-like flatbread, and no other grains are permitted.
Passover baking is always a challenge. No flours, no yeast, no leaveners are allowed. Generally speaking, it's a baker’s nightmare.
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The Passover challenge
There are all sorts of adaptations and substitutions you can make, and bakers do get creative (egg white meringues, anyone?). However, there is only so much you can do to keep your cake and cookie cravings at bay.
Mostly, you suck it up and quit complaining (and if you’ve mastered that, you’re better than me. I just keep on complaining).
What you need
The ingredients for this Salted Matzo Toffee recipe are likely sitting in your pantry right now. Well, maybe you should get a fresh box of matzo, but that's up to you.
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Besides matzo, you'll need butter (or a non-dairy butter alternative if you're trying to make this dairy-free), brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, and a sprinkling of sea salt.
How to make Matzo Crack
Not much goes into making a Matzo Crack recipe. Like the Passover Seder (the ritual meal) itself, you have to follow the steps in order:
- Make the toffee (don't worry, it comes together quickly)
- Pour it on the matzo and bake
- Top with chocolate chips and sea salt
- Let cool
- Break
- EAT!
We keep the prayers to a minimum.
Step 1: Make the toffee
Start by laying out the matzo sheets on a half sheet baking pan that's been covered with aluminum foil.
The matzo toffee itself is just butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. The trick is to cook the brown sugar down until it's completely melted and smooth.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the brown sugar. Let the butter and sugar cook until it bubbles and the sugar has melted (photo 1). Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.
Step 2: Bake the toffee
Once the toffee is cooked, immediately pour it onto the matzo and spread it out using a large offset spatula (photo 2, top). Work quickly as the toffee will get harder to spread as it cools.
Bake the matzo at 250°F for 25 to 30 minutes (photo 2, bottom). Baking the toffee allows it to penetrate the matzo, infusing it with that lovely toffee flavor.
Step 3: Top with chocolate
After the toffee has baked, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the matzo. Put the tray back in the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the chocolate chips start to melt (photo 3, top).
Remove the tray from the oven and spread the chips evenly over the top of the matzo with that same (now cleaned) large offset spatula. Sprinkle flakes of sea salt for a finishing touch (photo 3, bottom).
Step 4: Break up the matzo
Let the Matzo Toffee cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill until set, about 1 hour. Once the chocolate has set, break the matzo into small pieces (photo 4).
I really don't know why breaking up the matzo is so satisfying. (Really?)
Ok, you got me...it's fun, and you get to nibble while you're at it!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
Matzo (also spelled matzah) is an unleavened bread made from just flour and water. It's used during the Passover Seder (a ritual meal) to symbolize how the biblical Israelites didn't have time to let their bread dough rise (what would have been a naturally leavened sourdough bread) when they were quickly hurrying out of Egypt during the Exodus.
If you don’t want to use sea salt, you can top Salted Matzo Toffee with nuts, coconut, Heath bar, dried fruit, or whatever else you'd like. Try drizzling melted white chocolate on top of the cooled chocolate chips for a dramatic presentation.
Salted Matzo Toffee is best served fresh. It will keep at room temperature in an airtight bag for 3 to 4 days. After that, the matzo will soften as it gets stale. Since Passover lasts a week, you'll just have to make more!
Pro Tip: Alternatives to using matzo
Don't have matzo? No worries! Use saltine crackers (making Saltine Crack) or another type of plain cracker. It's just as delicious and addictive. Just keep in mind that if you're using saltines, adding extra see salt on type might make it overly salty.
The best way to eat matzo
Considering how bland matzo is, you won't believe how good it is when you infuse it with toffee and drench it with chocolate.
Really, Salted Matzo Toffee deserves the name Matzo Crack because it's so addicting!
Yes, I complain a lot about the Passover restrictions on baking, but Salted Matzo Toffee will always be welcome any time of the year!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
Passover is tough on a baker, having to leave off using flour and leavening. But that doesn't mean sweets are off the menu during Passover. Here are some ideas...
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Recipe
Salted Matzo Toffee (aka Matzo Crack)
Ingredients
- 4 pieces matzo, unsalted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, or non-dairy butter alternative
- 1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 12 ounces chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk (2 cups)
- sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 °F.
- Line a half sheet baking pan with foil. Arrange the four pieces of matzo on the cookie sheet to fit.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the brown sugar. Let the butter and sugar cook until it bubbles and the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. Pour the sugar mixture over the matzo and spread it all over the top using a large offset spatula.
- Bake the matzo for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the matzo. Put the tray back in the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the chocolate chips start to melt.
- Remove the tray from the oven and spread the chips evenly over the top of the matzo with that same (now cleaned) large offset spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt over the top.
- Let the Matzo Toffee cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill until set, about 1 hour.
- Break it into pieces and serve. Enjoy!
- Salted Matzo Toffee is best served fresh. It will keep at room temperature in an airtight bag for 3 to 4 days. After that, the matzo will soften as it gets stale. Since Passover lasts a week, you'll just have to make more!
Leslie says
Love this stuff! It is truly addicting.