Fake It ‘Til You Make It

I am a firm believer in the mantra “Fake It ‘Til You Make It.” I once bought a designer handbag to help me land a job worthy of paying for it, am able to artfully apply mascara to appear as though I get 8-hours of sleep, and can whip up distinctive dishes in 15 minutes flat that give the impression I live in my kitchen. It’s a skill all Mommies should perfect.

Tonight is Passover, a holiday that celebrates the escape of the Israelites from Egypt. It’s a major holiday, and it comes with its own unique cooking hurdle: When Pharaoh freed the Israelites, they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise. In commemoration, I can only use unleavened bread–matzo–during the Seder. It’s no easy task for a true carb addict, believe me.

I am spending the day making traditional favorites that take hours to prepare–brisket, potato latkes, matzo ball soup–with my son tugging at my feet, but there is one sweet recipe I finished during his cat nap. Chocolate Caramel Matzo Crunch will rock your Seder, and you still have time to pull it off. If you want to look like a cool chocolatier tonight, make this dish. Fake It ‘Til You Make It, Mommies!

Everyone will love this!

Chocolate Caramel Matzo Crunch

4-5 pieces of Matzo
1 cup firmly paced dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chip pieces
Toppings (as desired) can chop of pecans or walnuts to add after putting on chocolate pieces

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (I used jelly roll pan) or parchment paper. Place matzo in one layer on the baking sheet breaking when necessary to be sure that it covers the whole bottom. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue to cook for an additional three minutes, still stirring, until thickened and just starting to pull away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over prepared matzo, spreading it evenly over the matzo with a heat proof spatula.

Put the pan in a 350 oven and immediately t. Bake for 15 minutes, watching to make sue it does not burn. If it looks like it is starting to burn, turn the oven down to 325 degrees.

After 15 minutes the toe should have bubbled up and turned a rich golden brown. Remove from oven.

Immediately sprinkle on the chocolate pieces over the toffee/matzo.. Let it sit for five minutes then spread it over the matzo. At this point, you can sprinkle on chopped nuts if desired.

Let it cool completely (can put it in the fridge). Break it into smaller pieces and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.