Crackies!

Recently I attended my first advisory meeting at the local food magazine where I am going to be a regular contributor. It was sort of a potluck luncheon, and the food was amazing! (Leave it to food writers to bring on the gourmet.) After we ate, all the staffers and editors and writers crammed around a big board room table and pitched ideas for issue themes and articles and discussed and debated what makes a food magazine sell, and I felt like Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30--a bit out of my element, but loving the collaborative creativity!

As I said, there were many fancy dishes for us to enjoy at the advisory luncheon, but my favorite thing served--and the thing that seem to make everyone "ooh" and "ahh" the most--was this ridiculously easy cracker-based candy that my friend, Justine, brought and affectionately refers to as "Crackies," due to their addictive quality. It's not unlike the awesome matzoh toffee that I have made before, but this doesn't have a chocolate topping. It's the vanilla version, if you will. (And I certainly will!)

Of course, I had to run right home and make some for myself and my roommate to share, and then I made a second batch to take to a fabulous game night party at my friend Joanna's tonight. I was amused when I kept hearing people say to one another, "You have to try this!" And the other person would respond, "What is it?" Then the first person would say, "I don't know, but it's great! Just try it!" And them I heard groans of pleasure. Tee hee.

I have two tips to make this simple treat even better. Although I don't usually like coconut, I like it in this, but only if it's toasted first, which makes it all the nuttier and yummier. Also, I highly recommend using reduced fat crackers for this, as the full-fat crackers yield a greasier result once you pour on all that butter. Having said that, here's the rest of the very complex methodology:

Lay out a half-sheet of (reduced fat) Club Crackers on a Silpat, then sprinkle on some slivered almonds and toasted coconut (most recipes just call for untoasted coconut, but screw that). Then make a light caramel of sorts by bringing a cup of butter and a half cup of sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat, and then add a teaspoon of vanilla. Pour this mess as evenly as you can over the cracker stuff and bake for ten minutes at 350. That's it, and the people will go wild and call your name wonderful and marvelous!