sourdough cracker toffee may be the best treat i have ever made for my friends.
i’ve seen grown adults reaching for a quickly emptying tub, eyeing the crumbles at the bottom, only to eventually tip them eagerly into their mouths to get that one last bite.
these moments of feeding people and witnessing their response bring me an almost embarrassing amount of joy. it’s my not-so-secret love language.
in chinese culture, feeding people is a common way to show care when the words aren’t quite there. it’s a universal, unspoken i love you, often followed by enthusiastic consumption. i love you too.
i’ve been baking these a lot lately for my bay area friends.
at first timidly, always asking for permission to swing by, until one friend remarked, “erica, you don’t have to ask. the answer will always be yes“.
so i practice.
i practice showing care without restraint. i practice not feeling self conscious. i practice the small act of vulnerability that is showing up unexpectedly with treats, and trusting there will be someone on the other end to devour them happily.
i love you. i love you too.
notes
popular variations of this recipe include matzah toffee, which uses matzah crackers as the base, and christmas crack, which uses saltine crackers. i’ve adapted this recipe from once upon a chef.
poking holes into the rolled out dough pre-bake is a crucial step! this will make sure your crackers will stay flat and not puff up, creating an even base for the other layers. i’ve made this mistake so you won’t have to.
i’ve specifically used a 50/50 proportion of all purpose and wheat flour for these crackers.
- different flours have different absorption properties. the texture of your dough might change if you make large adjustments. for example, when adding the same amount of water, all purpose flour will feel stickier than wheat.
- that being said, adjusting for hydration, i think rye and buckwheat could be interesting additions.
as always, i develop my recipes with my 80% hydration starter. please adjust the starter and flour amounts to match yours.
sourdough cracker toffee
formula
- 1/2 cup starter discard (127g)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (35g)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (40g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (20g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (110g)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (108g)
- 6 oz chocolate chips or chunks (154g)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, optionally toasted (60g)
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, to taste
method
- combine discard, flours, oil, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- knead until smooth ball, about 1 min. cover, and let rest for 1-4 hours.
- when ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- generously flour a working surface with wheat flour.
- cut dough ball into two pieces. this step is optional, but i find working with two smaller pieces is easier than working with one larger piece.
- like rolling out pie dough, roll out each ball one at a time into a rectangular shape.
- you'll want them to be thin, but not too thin. target just under 1/8", or about 3 mm.
- lay them together onto a sheet pan. i like to re-combine them together. it's ok if they separate again while baking.
- using a fork, poke holes in the cracker sheets. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! this will prevent any sections from spontaneously puffing up.
- bake for 20 minutes, or until crackers are lightly golden. careful not to overbake! they'll go back into the oven later in the process.
- let cool for 15 minutes before proceeding with toffee. they should be crunchy after cooling.
- preheat the oven to 350°F
- line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil, such that the entire bottom is covered. place your freshly baked sourdough cracker sheets on top.
- in a small saucepan or pot, melt the butter and brown sugar together by whisking continuously over medium heat.
- the butter and sugar should combine together. if there is some separation at first, no worries — just keep going.
- keep whisking until toffee begins to foam and bubble. at this point, whisk for 3 more minutes.
- carefully pour the hot toffee mixture onto the crackers. using a spatula, quickly spread out the toffee mixture evenly over the crackers.
- bake for 8-10 minutes, until toffee looks like it is bubbling over.
- remove sheet pan from oven.
- evenly plop chocolate chunks or chips on top of the very hot toffee layer.
- let sit for 3-5 minutes, or until chocolate is soft. using the same spatula, spread the chocolate out into an even, thin layer.
- you'll want these layers to be about the same thickness!
- evenly sprinkle chopped pecans, to taste, on top of the chocolate.
- pop the sheet pan into the fridge for 15 minutes, such that the chocolate cools but is not yet firm.
- take the sheet pan out, and sprinkle flaky sea salt, to taste. i like to go generous with the salt.
- put the sheet pan back in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or until chocolate layer is firm.
- remove sheet pan from fridge.
- on a cutting board, cut into small, bite-sized pieces, about 2"x2".
- store in an airtight container or tupperware in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks. i promise you they're not going to last that long though 😅
