Caramel Matzo Crunch

Happy Passover (with all that wine, it should be)! If you've been to a Seder in the past few years, there's a good chance you've already seen these tasty treats. Their popularity has really exploded on the Seder circuit. The original recipe has chocolate spread on top, but I think they look a little prettier with it drizzled (I like that the caramel shows through). But my personal favorite is plain, so I always leave half without the chocolate (one of the perks of being the chef). Warning: this stuff is addictive (my friend Elizabeth calls it matzo crack)!

 CARAMEL MATZO CRUNCH

4-6 unsalted matzos

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (or unsalted Passover margarine)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate (optional)

1.     Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a large sheet pan completely with foil. Line with parchment paper (on top of the foil). This is important since the mixture becomes sticky during baking.

2.     Line the sheet pan evenly with the matzos, cutting extra pieces, as required, to fit any spaces.

3.     In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and salt. 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 matzo, covering completely.

4.     Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350° F. 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° F., and replace the pan).

5.     Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate (if using). Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzo. (Or you can melt the chocolate separately and drizzle over the matzo.) Chill, still in the pan, in the refrigerator or freezer until set. Break into squares or odd shapes.

Variations:

You can also use coarsely chopped white chocolate (or a combination of white and dark), and chopped or slivered toasted almonds (sprinkled on top as the chocolate sets).

adapted from A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman

matzo lining the sheet pan

caramel mixture boiling (the original recipe doesn't call
for salt, but I think it really takes the caramel to the next level).
FYI: I've tried dark brown sugar and it doesn't taste as good.

caramel poured over (it spreads easily with a silicone spatula)

after baking in the oven (the caramel is all bubbly)

chocolate drizzled over

breaking it into pieces (after it set in the fridge)

I usually make these a week or two ahead of time and store them in the freezer. You don't even need to defrost them before serving (freezing just makes them extra crunchy).

Our house guest, Flat Stanley, loves matzo
(no surprise there, he is a flat food enthusiast).

Bluejacks (Buttermilk Pancakes)

One day an envelope arrived in our mailbox addressed to my daughter. Inside was a cute little businessman named Flat Stanley (sent by my 7-year-old nephew Hunter). He came with a note saying we should keep him for about a month and take photos of him when we go places, then return him along with the photos (a class project). I've discovered while photographing Flat Stanley around town that many of you are already acquainted with him. While clicking my camera, I often hear "Hey, Flat Stanley!" and look up to see a full grown adult with a goofy little grin on their face.

During Flat Stan's visit with us, we've realized a few things about the little guy. 1) He always has a smile on his face and never an unkind word about anyone. 2) He always dresses for success, even at the beach or pool. And 3) he loves the whole flat lifestyle, including flat foods (like pizza, crackers, bologna, cookies and pancakes). So we made these "flatjacks" to show our appreciation (we're so honored he chose to come stay with us).

Flat Stanley was very hands-on for the making of these. He even had the bright idea to mix blueberries directly into the batter...the result, as you can see, blue pancakes (oh Flat Stanley, you wild and crazy guy)!

BLUEJACKS (BUTTERMILK PANCAKES)

Yield: 12 large pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen wild Maine blueberries (omit for plain "flatjacks")

1.      Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

2.      In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the blueberries and stir until your batter is a lovely shade of purple. Or you can just sprinkle the blueberries on top of the batter after you pour it on the griddle (it's way more boring, but you can do it).

3.      Heat a large non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle. Cook until you see bubbles on the surface. Carefully flip the pancake using a large, wide spatula. Continue cooking until golden brown on both sides.

Flat Stanley mixing the plain batter

plain batter cooking on the griddle
(It's not necessary to grease the non-stick griddle.)

pancakes flipped (that one in the back was flipped a little prematurely)

nice, fluffy stack...but aren't they missing something?

the missing oomph: frozen wild Maine blueberries

You can try fresh (I do believe fresh is better),
but I can't guarantee they'll "bleed" the same color.

We could see right away that something exciting was happening.

Even more beautiful than Flat Stanley had anticipated!

bluejacks cooking

bluejacks flipped

bluejacks with pure maple syrup

Go ahead, have another one...they're only a little flattening!

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