the simple five : chocolate toffee crunch

Every year, I seem to miscalculate how much chocolate I should purchase for Easter.  My eyes are larger than my stomach (and wallet), and with other chocolates collected from the Easter Bunny, family and friends, our house can rival Willy Wonka.  I'm not complaining though.  It just gives me a reason to consume use up whatever is in the house.

Here's a quick way to use up some of that overabundance of chocolate.  This recipe is a variation of the "crunch" bars found on the back of those "Baker's chocolate" packages, using ingredients I already have in my cupboards...including all the sweetness left behind by the Easter Bunny.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Toffee Crunch

(makes approximately 12 small servings)

Ingredients

• 35  whole wheat saltine crackers
• ½ cup  butter
• ½  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1 cup of chocolate, chopped in small pieces.  (I used 3/4 cup milk chocolate left over from Easter and ¼ cup white chocolate...you can use chocolate chips).
• 1 cup of a variety of the "crunchy topping".  (You can use crushed candy, nuts or even dried fruit. I used ¼  cup finely chopped toffee bits like Hershey's Skor Chipits, found in the baking section and 3/4  cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped).

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place the crackers in single layer on a parchment covered baking sheet.
• Heat butter and sugar in saucepan on medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. 
• Bring to boil; cook 2 min. (Do not stir.) 
• Spread onto crackers.
• Bake for approximately 7 min. or until topping is golden brown. 
• Immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips; let stand 5 min. or until melted.  
• Using a spatula, spread the melted chocolate chips evenly over the crackers.  
• Top with the white chocolate chips, and swirl onto into the chocolate to make a marble design.
• While the chocolate is still soft, top with the crunchy stuff...toffee pieces and or peanuts.
• Cool, then break into pieces.