Goodies!

I don't mean to brag (well, maybe), but there are those who claim I've cornered the market on holiday treats. Again, they probably had ulterior motives, but I'll receive the compliment anyway.


One of my favorite goodies is Cracker Candy.


WOW, it's so delicious.


I don't think you can buy anything like it in the store, but really I wouldn't know. Not to say that this stuff is organic or even remotely healthy, mind you. But the taste... Here's a picture of some I made last year. It was already bagged up for the freezer, but maybe the beauty will convey anyway.


You want the recipe, don't you.


No, I couldn't.


Oh, please don't beg. Really.


Ok, I suppose, if it means that much to you. But if you live near me and frequent any of the same gatherings as I, or give gifts to the same people as I, please use this recipe with discretion. Alone, at night, in the privacy of your own home is fine.


Here we go.




Get some crackers. Those little white, toasty lookin' things. Saltines, or whatever. Also get butter (the original recipe called for margerine, but...yuck!), brown sugar, milk chocolate chips (or whatever darkness you prefer) and mashed walnuts. Oh, you don't know what that is? Chopped walnuts will work fine also. Probably will work better. I buy walnuts in 'halves and pieces' and put them in a ziplock and beat the heck out of them with a rolling pin. Hmm... maybe the counter had been under stress? Aluminum foil is also called for (see, toxic stuff, I tell ya!) though I recently used parchment paper instead. The jury is still out on that. Anyways, a kitchen is also handy, with it's appropriate appliances and tools-of-the-trade.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick pan spray (since aluminum and spray-propellants will kill you, I either brush the foil with oil or use parchment paper. I can't totally recommend the parchment paper yet, because the last [triple] batch had some issues that *might* be attributed to this). Carefully line the foil with saltine crackers. If they don't fit to the edge (and they never do), trimming crackers to fit along the edge can be helpful. Set aside.


Bring to boil over medium heat: 1 c. brown sugar and 1 c. butter (margerine?). Boil 3 minutes (more won't hurt, but don't do it TOO long). Pour/spread this over your crackers, making sure each cracker is well-saturated with the goo. Put in oven for 5 minutes.


While this 'bakes', melt a package of milk chocolate chips over low heat (I rinse and DRY the same pan I used for the butter/sugar mixture).


When the crackers are done, remove them from the oven and 'replace' them. That is, use a fork or something to get them back in order. They like to swim and float about in the oven (which is why leaving too much space along the edges is a bad thing), and we need a nice grid here.


Spread the melted chocolate over the cracker mixture, trying not to stir the carmelized stuff into the chocolate too badly.


Sprinkle mashed walnuts over the chocolate.


Cut while still warm.


Did you get that last part? If they're warm enough, it's hardly even 'cutting.' Draw a butter knife between each cracker. If you don't do this while they're warm, you will have one giant goodie that is hard to wrap. You can use a chisel to try to cut it, but they won't come out in squares if you do.


Cool, and remove from pan/foil. If you did it right, this shouldn't be too hard.


Now, my last batch had a problem usually associated with removing the butter/sugar from the stove (or oven, after it's on the crackers) too quickly. After they cooled, the sugar/butter wasn't carmelized, but still like... buttery sugar. Kind of. Some of it was inclined to stay on the parchment paper as opposed to hardening to itself and staying in one piece. Don't get me wrong; they're still quite edible, but they don't package, travel, or present quite as nicely. I'm not sure if I took them off the heat too quickly, or if the parchment paper lends a different quality to the stuff.


I will test it again next week. For the past few years I've taken a huge tray of this and two more goodies (yet to be posted!) to Hubby's company Christmas party and they're always a hit. This year no one will expect it, what with the baby and homeschooling and all, so it will be fun to make everyone think I'm superwoman surprise everyone. I might even make an assortment of dark chocolate ones, so they look all cute alternating on the tray.