The Recipe Box – Recipe 5.0: Decadent Chocolate Toffee Matzos

…the best thing that ever happened to matzo!

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• ½ cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped (or any nut of your choice)
• ½ cup coconut, toasted
• 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• smoked or regular sea salt (to taste)

For the sauce:

• 3 sticks of butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but oh so good!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven(s) to 350 degrees
2. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with tin foil, making sure to cover sides. Place a piece of parchment paper on each. Arrange the matzos on the baking sheets in a single layer so they cover the pan as fully and evenly as possible. (You will need to break a couple matzos to fill the baking sheet.)
3. Shell and chop pistachios*, toast coconut, and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the butter, sugar, water, vanilla, and cayenne pepper to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. The sauce will be bubbly and foaming, and continue to thicken as it cooks. Once it has turned golden brown and come to a consistency slightly thicker than syrup, it’s ready.
5. Using a spatula, carefully pour the sauce evenly over the matzos; spread to cover completely.
6. Put pans in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes. (If using 2 ovens, place sheets on middle racks. If using 1 oven, put one sheet on middle rack and other sheet on rack below. Switch half way through baking time.)
7. You will want to check on how the toffee is baking during this time so it does not burn. The toffee will be become very bubbly. Once it turns a dark, rich shade of caramel color, it’s done.
8. Remove pans from oven and place on cooling racks or cutting boards. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top and let sit 3-5 minutes to soften. Using an offset spatula (or the back of a large soup spoon), spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee. Sprinkle with pistachios, coconut, and sea salt to taste.
9. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Gently break into pieces of desired size. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. (Make sure to hide some for yourself for later!)

*Shelling and chopping the roasted pistachios is the most time consuming part of this recipe. A couple tips on removing the skins: gently rub pistachios between your thumb and index finger, then toss into a mesh colander. Once you have all the pistachios shelled, hold the colander over the sink and shake the pistachios for about a minute. More of the skins will come off. Scoop the nuts by hand onto a cutting board – that way you leave the remaining skin pieces in the colander.