Thursday, March 6, 2014

Toffee Pretzel Crunch. Oh My!


I was making care packages this week to send off and deliver locally
as several friends needing the TLC of homemade treats.

I was thinking how tasty it would be to dip pretzel rods in toffee, but
then at a little Oprah light bulb moment and decided on this...
you can thank me later.

What you need to make this ridiculous treat:
3 1/2-4 cups Pretzel Crisps
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Line a large jelly roll pan* with aluminum foil, and then thinly coat the foil
with butter (I just gently rub one of the sticks used in the recipe along the 
foiled surfaces. You will not use much) then place a layer of Pretzel Crisps 
along the bottom of the buttered pan.  I break up some of the crisps. Don't 
worry if the crisps are overlapping. 

* a jelly roll pan is smaller than a sheet pan, but larger than a 9x13 pan.

 In a saucepan over medium/high heat, begin melting the butter, brown sugar and salt.

 This is one pot you want to watch boil.  Continue stirring as the sauce boils 
and thickens.  Watch that it doesn't burn.  I stir at boil for a couple minutes.

Pour the boiling sauce evenly over the pretzel crisps.  
Place pan in a 425 degree oven.

The sauce will thicken in the oven. After 4 minutes I pulled the bubbling concoction 
out of the oven.  Check at 4 minutes. If it isn't super bubbly and darker in color, 
put it back in for 1 additional minute.

 Immediately sprinkle the semi sweet chocolate chips evenly 
over the toffee pretzels. 

The heat of the pan will quickly melt the chocolate chips.  If you
find that they aren't melting, pop the pan back into the cooling oven for 
1 minute and the chocolate will be ready to spread with a knife.

After the chocolate chips are evenly spread across the top of the toffee,
pop the pan in the freezer to set up for 30 minutes.

 After setting in the freezer, I pull the brick of toffee from the foil,
double checking that all foil pulled away, then use my hands to 
break into chunks.  I store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

It packages up nicely, in boxes, to drop with friends and neighbors.
I buy bulk food safe boxes on the Internet.

Enjoy!!!