This chocolate matzo brittle is rich, but an excellent way to use your surplus of matzo. A little goes a long way as a dessert after the Passover Seder, and it comes together with barely any active cooking — just melting, spreading, and topping, which makes it a good one to enlist kids to help decorate.
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Vegan chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate buttons both work well as the coating — dark chocolate makes for a less sweet, more grown-up version.
- Matzo. Break it into pieces slightly larger than bite-sized before topping with the chocolate mixture, so the pieces hold together once broken apart later.
- Toasted nuts. Use sliced or slivered almonds, or chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios. If you like "salty sweets," try chopped salted pistachios. You can use two different types of nuts, of course.
- Dried fruit. Dark or golden raisins and dried cranberries both work well — or try dried sliced apricot, mango, or finely chopped dried pineapple.
- Flaky sea salt. A light sprinkle before the chocolate sets adds a sweet-salty contrast that keeps the brittle from tasting one-note.
Variations
- Mix up the nuts. Try two different types of nuts together for extra texture and flavor.
- Change the dried fruit. Dried sliced apricot, mango, or finely chopped dried pineapple all make great swaps for raisins or cranberries.
- Add a pinch of sea salt. A light sprinkle on top before the chocolate sets adds a nice sweet-salty contrast.
- Make it two-toned. Melt white and dark chocolate separately and swirl them together before the toppings go on for a marbled look.
- Add citrus zest. A little orange or lemon zest sprinkled into the chocolate before it sets adds a bright, unexpected note.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Matzo Brittle
- Break the matzo evenly. Pieces slightly larger than bite-sized are easiest to coat and break apart later into brittle-sized shards.
- Let it set fully before breaking it up. Give the chocolate plenty of time to firm up, ideally in the refrigerator, before breaking the brittle into pieces — rushing this step makes for a messy, smudged result.
- Store in a cool place. This keeps the chocolate from softening or blooming (turning a dull, grayish color) too much.
- A little goes a long way. This dessert is rich, so small pieces are plenty satisfying — cut or break it smaller than you might expect.
- Spread the chocolate evenly. An offset spatula helps get a thin, even layer that sets and breaks more predictably than a thick, uneven one.
Make Ahead & Storage
This brittle keeps well in a sealed container at cool room temperature for about a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It's a great make-ahead treat for a holiday table since it only gets easier to portion out once fully set and chilled.
How to Serve
Serve in small pieces as a dessert after the Passover Seder, or any time you're craving a rich, crunchy chocolate treat.
Recipe
Chocolate Matzo Brittle
This recipe for chocolate matzo brittle is rich, but an excellent way to use your surplus of matzo. A little goes a long way as a dessert after the Passover Seder.
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Servings: to 10
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate buttons
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 2 matzos broken into pieces slightly larger than bite-sized
- ⅓ to ½ cup lightly toasted nuts see variations
- ½ cup dark or golden raisins dried cranberries, or chopped dried fruit (see variations), or any combination
Instructions
- Line two large plates with wax paper or parchment.
- Combine the chocolate chips, agave nectar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until smoothly melted. Remove from the heat.
- Add the broken matzo; stir to coat evenly with the chocolate. Spread in a more or less single layer onto two parchment- or wax paper-lined plates.
- Sprinkle the nuts and raisins over the top.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Just before serving, break up into large chunks and transfer to a serving platter.
Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)
Calories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.
Find more at VegKitchen's Passover: Ashkenazic-Style Seder page, or Passover: Sephardic-Style Seder page. Find more ways to make Special Occasions and Entertaining easier and healthier.
AnaVar says
This sounds delicious, I-m making this on monday.
Stephanie says
I've always made matzoh brittle with butter-laden caramel sauce that hardened right up. I poured it directly onto the matzoh and then topped with chocolate.
This looks like it won't harden or have the carmelly crunch. Any suggestions for replacing butter and doing it the former way? Would vegan butter work to make a caramel sauce that hardens?
Nava says
Stephanie, your instinct is right, that this has a softer mouth feel (though still good!). I'm really not sure whether something like Earth Balance would give you the caramel crunch you're looking for, but if you find a recipe that calls for just a little butter, Earth Balance does "behave" in a similar way, as does coconut oil (given the time to harden). Good luck!