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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
6 to 12
Author Notes
My mom’s recipe, sort of. It's lived on a handwritten index card for decades and almost certainly was adapted from Marcy Goldman's A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking. I kept the little ingredient list and adjusted the finer details. Salted instead of unsalted matzo, salted instead of unsalted butter, and, yeah, a little flaky salt on top too. I know you’re thinking that’s overkill. It’s not. The toffee is outrageously sweet, and longing for balance. Dark aka bittersweet chocolate helps too—aim for 60 percent cacao or higher. If there’s a whole-wheat matzo you love, this is a good time to show it off. And when it comes to toppings, have fun. You could skip them altogether, or go nuts with whatever is in your pantry. Try flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper (my favorite), red pepper flakes or your favorite dried chile powder (especially chipotle), dried fruit (tart cherries, golden raisins, sliced apricots), freeze-dried fruit (raspberries, strawberries, bananas), crystallized ginger, candied citrus peel, roasted nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds, pecans), toasted coconut flakes, crushed potato chips. I also love sesame seeds, but keep in mind that these are considered kitniyot, which many Jews avoid during Passover. Just pick and choose what works for you and the lucky people you’re feeding. And if you happen to have extra—good. Broken into pieces and packed in an airtight container, matzo toffee is happy to hang out in the freezer, waiting for whenever you need a sweet snack. —Emma Laperruque
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Salted Matzo Toffee
Ingredients
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6
salted matzos
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1 cup
(226 grams) salted butter (or unsalted butter plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
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1 cup
(213 grams) dark brown sugar
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1 1/3 cups
(226 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped (the darker, the better)
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Flaky salt, optional
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Your pick of toppings (see Author Notes), optional
Directions
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Heat the oven to 375°F. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment. Evenly divide the matzo between the sheet pans, breaking up the pieces as needed to fit.
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Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, boil for about 2 minutes until the mixture is homogeneous and slightly thickened, like caramel sauce.
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Evenly pour the toffee on top of the matzo, spreading with an offset or silicone spatula to cover. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly all over. Remove from the oven.
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Immediately sprinkle the chocolate on top of the toffee. Let sit for a few minutes, until the chocolate effortlessly melts with the swoosh of an offset spatula. Spread the chocolate to evenly cover. If you’re opting for toppings, sprinkle them on top now.
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Let cool until no longer hot, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely. Break or chop into pieces. In an airtight container or tightly wrapped, this keeps well in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.
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