Sunday, May 25, 2008

weird but good

This recipe won 2nd place at UCSD Sixth College's annual Chocolate Festival recipe contest in my freshman year (first place went to a chocolate souffle). Chocolate and caramel go hand in hand, but you'd never guess what this sweet's base is- saltine crackers! That's right. I got this recipe from a swim team kid's mom, who made it at our annual holiday party, and had a very hard time believing it. Of course, the crackers are unsalted, which does make a big difference, but still! How could something that you normally eat when you're sick or with soup possibly make such a sugary snack? I've tried using graham crackers as a base before (easier to break), but I've been told that it's a little too sweet that way.

Chocolate Toffee Crackers

(makes about 1 lb.)
  • unsalted saltine crackers (enough to cover the pan)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups sliced almonds or pecans (optional)

- Arrange a single layer of crackers with sides touching, but not overlapping, along the bottom of a shallow, non-stick baking pan. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted. Cook for two minutes once the mixture comes to a boil, then remove from heat and spread the caramel quickly over the crackers. Use a spatula to make sure the caramel covers all of the crackers, then add the nuts.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from oven. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the pan. Wait several minutes for the chocolate to melt, then spread it evenly over the crackers.
- Refrigerate the crackers in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove and break into pieces- use a butter knife to gently break the crackers apart along the seams if you want neat pieces.

Here's some music to dance to while you bake:
Dizzee Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp
Klaxons - As Above, So Below (Justice remix)
Scissors For Lefty - Ghetto Ways

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mmm these are so good! Have you ever tried these with matzoh crackers? It's so, so good. And so addictive haha. Impossible to stop snacking on and especially delicious cold from the fridge