Cooking Countdown : Sweet & Salty Bark

allison 0

Recently, I hosted a highly successful cookie party, where I willingly consumed enough sugar to put someone into a diabetic coma. This inspired me – no, not to diet or exercise, but to bake even more! On that note, I’ll get my exercise by walking around carrying groceries. Let’s face it – the gym might make you feel good in the long run, but food makes you feel good right now.

With classes finally on hiatus for the holidays, I’ve conveniently found myself with some extra time on my hands – perfect for concocting lovely little things in the kitchen. What better way to count down the new year than to offer you all a fantastic recipe for each day left in 2009?!

I’ll begin with a simple holiday favorite of mine – sweet and salty bark. The secret? Soda crackers. No, really. They’re in there, and they’re delicious.

What You’ll Need
1 package soda crackers (salted tops)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet melts easiest, but any type will do)

How to do it
In a small saucepan over LOW heat, melt butter and dissolve sugars slowly, stirring. Once sugars are dissolved, let simmer until the caramel begins to bubble and become a slightly darker brown. Be careful not to let it burn!
Preheat oven to 300F. Lay crackers out flat on a cookie sheet, side by side, salted tops facing upward. Pour the caramel mixture over the top evenly. Spread with spatula if needed, trying to cover as many of the crackers as you can. Sprinkle chocolate over top.
Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until caramel bubbles and turns slightly white. Remove from oven and spread chocolate with a spatula to form a coating. Refrigerate (or place on your doorstep if you’re in a cold climate!) for about an hour or until hardened. Break into pieces, serve and eat!