Salted Peanut and Caramel Matzo Brittle

Recipe from Marcy Goldman

Adapted by Joan Nathan

Salted Peanut and Caramel Matzo Brittle
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(124)
Notes
Read community notes

This is a more advanced version of the popular chocolate matzo toffee, but it’s still easy to make: A layer of caramel bakes on top of then soaks into the unleavened bread, which next gets slathered with peanut butter and topped with crunchy peanuts. For those with peanut allergies — or those who do not eat peanuts at Passover — you can substitute any creamy nut butter and nuts. You can also use tahini and halvah; add snipped, dried apricots or dried cranberries for color; or keep it simple and stick with chocolate — preferably dark, to counter the caramel’s sweetness — as in the original recipe by baker Marcy Goldman in her book “A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking” (Doubleday 1998). Be aware: This dish is addictive. —Joan Nathan

Featured in: A Matzo-Based Brittle for the Modern Age

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings
  • 4square matzos
  • 1cup/227 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
  • 1cup/220 grams firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1cup/200 grams smooth peanut butter
  • ¾cup/105 grams roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • ½teaspoon flaky sea salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

472 calories; 34 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 24 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 149 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed 11-by-17 or 12-by-18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, covering the pan and extending over the sides.

  2. Step 2

    Lay 2 matzo squares in the pan, positioning the concave side up to best retain the caramel. Then, like a puzzle, fit the remaining matzo onto the baking sheet, carefully breaking pieces to fill the entire baking pan in one layer. (Don’t worry if they are not perfect; the brittle will be cut up later.)

  3. Step 3

    In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, about 6 minutes. Boil just until very bubbly, another 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat and pour over the matzo, covering completely. Working quickly, spread the caramel using a heatproof spatula, then spoon it on top if it spills between the cracks in the matzo.

  4. Step 4

    Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, checking to make sure the edges and top are not burning.

  5. Step 5

    Once the matzo is almost done baking, heat the peanut butter in a microwave until slightly warmed and easily pourable, about 20 to 30 seconds on high.

  6. Step 6

    Remove the matzo from the oven and drizzle the warmed peanut butter on top, then sprinkle with the peanuts, then the salt. Cool, break into pieces then transfer to a lidded container. Brittle is best — and at its snappiest — when chilled. Refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 until peanut butter firms up. Brittle will keep up to 1 month frozen; let it thaw for about 10 minutes before serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5
124 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

heidipie

Would both name-brand and natural peanut butter work?

Lauren

I decided to make this with some stale matzos from a friend who celebrates Passover. I omitted the peanut butter (the only nut butter I had was almond which had seized over the course of a couple months). I instead took some creative freedom and topped it with chopped roasted peanuts, 100% unsweetened chopped chocolate, and pistachios. I also added the 1/2 tsp salt to the caramel itself instead of sprinkling it on top, and I felt that this gave a more uniform savory flavor throughout brittle.

Ellen

I had high expectations when I read this recipe in the newspaper. However, I found that the result was very disappointing. Were I to try it again, I would cut down on the amount of brown sugar and peanut butter while increasing the amount of chopped nuts. But it probably makes more sense to try a different matzoh crunch recipe.

Elizabeth

Heidipie - brand name peanut butters often have additives like sugar and oil so you'd want to make sure that it was an all-natural (i.e., peanut or peanut and salt only) brand. I'm going to try making this with Moroccan amlou (almond butter/honey/argan oil/salt).

foodalchemist

If you like a little heat feel free to add some. Many recipes esp Asian ones combine peanuts with peppers. The sugary sweetness only adds to the complexity. Anything from a bit of cayenne or paprika to more than a bit of ghost peppers if you're into that whole hot sauce freak thing. I know I certainly am.

Hungry

I would substitute peanuts are they are not kosher for Passover.

Dan W

Are you suggesting not to use brand-name PBs because they are less healthy, or because they won't work as well in the recipe?

jess

Recommend using natural peanut butter (I like Nuts to You Nut Butter). Also recommend just using a high quality Carmel spread or dulce de léché (such as Bon Maman) rather than making caramel from scratch. Lower effort and yet, turns out extraordinary.

CB

very easy to burn - would lower heat

lydia

Hungry - no need to try to out-Jewish those of us who do eat kitniyot on the holiday.

C

I make this gluten and dairy free by using Yehuda Gluten Free Matzo-style squares and vegan butter. TJ's Peanut Butter Spread melts and spreads well. I reduce the amount of butter and peanut butter by one third. I sprinkle with dairy free chocolate chips after spreading the PB, then put it back into the oven for a couple minutes to melt and then smear the chocolate with a spatula for a marbleized effect. No need for the salt, as the vegan butter and PB are salty enough.

Mel

I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and reduced the amount of peanut butter to 1/2 cup (I'm glad I did!) because that's all I had. I don't think it would have been as tasty without the chocolate, but maybe I'm biased because I love chocolate so much. I used Trader Joe's natural peanut butter and found it didn't get runny enough. Also, it didn't harden well. If I were to make this again, I would add a bit of coconut oil to the peanut butter so that it forms a harder surface when chilled.

Judy

Note: Ashkenazi Jews do not eat peanuts on Passover. I'm pretty sure this recipe could be made with Almond butter and roasted slivered almonds if you wanted it to be kosher for passover.

Elizabeth

Heidipie - brand name peanut butters often have additives like sugar and oil so you'd want to make sure that it was an all-natural (i.e., peanut or peanut and salt only) brand. I'm going to try making this with Moroccan amlou (almond butter/honey/argan oil/salt).

Dan W

Are you suggesting not to use brand-name PBs because they are less healthy, or because they won't work as well in the recipe?

Lauren

I decided to make this with some stale matzos from a friend who celebrates Passover. I omitted the peanut butter (the only nut butter I had was almond which had seized over the course of a couple months). I instead took some creative freedom and topped it with chopped roasted peanuts, 100% unsweetened chopped chocolate, and pistachios. I also added the 1/2 tsp salt to the caramel itself instead of sprinkling it on top, and I felt that this gave a more uniform savory flavor throughout brittle.

Ellen

I had high expectations when I read this recipe in the newspaper. However, I found that the result was very disappointing. Were I to try it again, I would cut down on the amount of brown sugar and peanut butter while increasing the amount of chopped nuts. But it probably makes more sense to try a different matzoh crunch recipe.

Jen

There is absolutely no reason to use a thermometer for this recipe. Why make something “advanced” when it doesn’t have to be? I’ve been making this recipe for years and years and simply following the directions for boiling and stirring make it perfect. C’mon people, this isn’t a place to impress others. Just enjoy the cooking and baking!

Mary Beth

Meh. The chocolate caramel matzo is far better. Because peanut butter is, well, peanut butter, the top stays soft. They are best kept cold. Will not make again.

susan

Non-Observant Observer, I searched around various recipes and found one that said 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Haven’t tried that yet but I will as I’ve been struggling with the right consistency for the caramel. Also, any tips for how to keep the underside of the matzoh from getting covered in the caramel?

jane

Made this today. Added chocolate chips to half the pan for a Snickers effect. Tasty! The PB does take a while to firm up, even in the freezer.

Non-observant observer

An “advanced” version of this recipe would give a temperature for the caramel. I also would love to know the rationale for baking it in the oven- it seems like a wholly unnecessary step. Anyone ever try it without that step who can report back?

Hungry

I would substitute peanuts are they are not kosher for Passover.

ljhs51

They are if one eats kitniyot (legumes).

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Credits

Adapted from Marcy Goldman

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