Not to toot my own horn, but I’m no beginner when it comes to baking — it’s a passion I’ve gotten very good at over the decades. So when I told my friends I’d bring homemade matzo caramel candies to our Passover gathering, I didn’t think twice about it.
After hours baking that day, though, guess who had to call up her friends to let them know the much-anticipated matzo candies wouldn’t be making it to the seder? You guessed it: me, Nancy. But, not for lack of trying (or tears). No matter how closely I cross-checked and followed nearly every recipe on the Internet — the original holy grail recipe being by Marcy Goldman — I kept failing with outcomes of grainy caramel.
When I returned home from the seder at 1 a.m. to a kitchen in disarray from my unsuccessful attempt at making seemingly simple matzo candies, I was reminded of my defeat. Being the relentless human I am, I tried not once, not twice, but three more times during the week — even speaking with the unimaginably kind bakers at Russ & Daughters in Brooklyn to ask how they make theirs.
In a desperate final attempt, I thought to check one of my momma’s old recipes for Pecan Triangles to learn from the very best. It was this recipe that saved the day, allowing my fourth time to be the charm. With several tweaks to all the matzo candy recipes I had been following, plus using my momma’s techniques as a guide, I came up with my own perfect version of the recipe below.
Let me tell you, the effort was worth it in the end: flame-baked matzo crackers covered in the silkiest of caramel, drizzled with Valhrona bittersweet chocolate, and topped with Maldon sea salt flakes. Unbelievable.
Ingredients
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Matzo crackers, flame baked
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1 cup butter, unsalted
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1 cup dark brown sugar
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1 tablespoon corn syrup
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2 teaspoons vanilla
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Large pinch of fine Maldon sea salt flakes
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70% Valhrona bittersweet chocolate to drizzle
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with tin foil, parchment paper, and matzo crackers.
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Start by melting room-temperature butter in a pot. Gradually add the dark brown sugar and continuously stir with a wooden spoon. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Once the mixture comes to a boil, set a timer for 5 minutes, don’t stop stirring until it’s removed from the heat.
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Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately pour the caramel mixture in a zig-zag all over the matzos until they are completely covered. Use an offset spatula to spread the caramel out more evenly (if all matzo is not completely covered, don’t worry, it will resolve itself when baked).
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Put caramel-covered matzos into the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
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Melt chocolate in a double boiler and drizzle over the caramel-covered matzos. Sprinkle flakey Maldon sea salt over top.
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Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. Take them out of the fridge to return to room temperature.
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Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for later.
