VIDEO: How to Make Tasty Matzah Brittle for Passover

The unleavened bread at the center of the Jewish holiday, which begins Monday evening, doesn't have to taste bland.

Posted by Ryan E. Smith, April 16, 2011 at 08:36 am

Matzah has been a part of the Jewish holiday of Passover since the very beginning. The hard, unleavened bread is part of the narrative of the holiday itself, which tells of the Israelites flight from Egypt into freedom. The story goes that there was so little time for the Israelites to prepare for their escape from Pharaoh that they did not have time for their bread to rise.

Too bad. It probably would have helped the taste.

Modern Jews and other matzah aficionados need not worry, however. There are ways to spruce up the Passover staple -- like by using chocolate and caramel. If the ancient Israelites could have used them, there can be little doubt they would have done so.

For starters, try this recipe for matzah brittle. It's a delicious and easy-to-make treat that will forever change the way you think about the "bread of affliction."

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 unsalted matzahs

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or unsalted margarine

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet completely with foil. Then cover the cookie sheet evenly with matzahs, cutting extra pieces as required to fill any spaces.

In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter or margarine and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 2 to 4 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over the matzahs, covering completely.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the mixture is not burning. (If it seems to be browning too quickly, remove the pan from the oven, lower the heat to 325 degrees, and replace the pan.)

Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzahs. While still warm, break into squares or odd shapes. Chill -- while still in the pan -- in the freezer until set.