Imberlach (Matzo Brittle

Shared by Nina Manolson

This recipe for imberlach, contributed by Nina Manolson, was a favorite of her uncle’s, often made by her mother. It made its way into their family’s repertoire from a spiral-bound Jewish cookbook. A traditional Passover treat, imberlach is a spicy-sweet candy (imber in Yiddish translates to “ginger”) that can take on a few different forms. Nina’s family’s version was always a brittle made of matzo and ginger tethered together by caramel. “One of my jobs at Passover time has been to make this wonderfully sweet candy that’s only eaten at Passover. It’s a favorite family tradition.” Nina shared. “For over 30 years, I’ve experimented with this recipe, making it better and better every year.”

As the recipe has evolved to suit personal preferences and dietary restrictions, today, Nina likes to start the caramel with a mixture of honey and unrefined granulated sugar, such as maple, date, or coconut sugar. She’ll then stir in dried fruit, grated fresh ginger, matzo farfel, and, her favorite part, toasted nuts. “The roasting and chopping of the nuts, the beginning of the imberlach process, marks the beginning of all the energy that goes into making Passover happen in our household,” Nina added. “It’s a labor of love. It signifies that this is a special moment and deserves special attention.” (Though of course you could use pre-toasted nuts in a pinch.)

Before serving the set imberlach, Nina breaks the candy into pieces and dips each in melted chocolate. The result? A bite that means far more than just another item on the dessert table. “Making imberlach is a tradition that’s been going on for decades. I hope it will continue when I’m long gone. Special holiday foods are a way of cultivating a cultural legacy.”

Imberlach (Matzo Brittle)

1 (9 by 12-inch) rectangle 1 hour

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated unrefined sugar, such as maple, date, or coconut sugar ½ cup honey 1 cup chopped toasted almonds, pecans, walnuts or a mix

½ cup chopped dried apricots, prunes, or a mix 1 cup raisins, dried cherries, or a mix 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger ¾ cup matzo farfel (not matzo meal) or about 1 matzo board, crumbled Melted dark or milk chocolate, for dipping (optional)

Preparation

1.

Line a quarter sheet pan (9x13-inch) with parchment paper. Bring the honey and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Continue boiling, not stirring the mixture but swirling the saucepan occasionally, until the mixture turns dark amber, about 16 to 20 minutes, and registers between 300 to 310ºF on a candy thermometer— this is known as the “hard crack stage.” (If you don’t have a thermometer, once the mixture turns dark amber, remove the pot from the heat and drop a spoonful of the mixture into a cup of cold water. Remove the hardened candy from the water and try to bend it—if it snaps, the mixture is ready; if it bends, continue boiling the mixture for another 1 to 2 minutes and perform the water test again.) 2.

Using a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, stir in the nuts, fruit, ginger and farfel. Immediately spread out the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan, using the spoon, spatula, or a piece of parchment placed on top of the mixture and your hands to press into an even surface.

3.

Let the imberlach cool completely until firm, about 40 minutes. Break into rough 1-inch pieces. If desired, dip whole pieces or parts of the imberlach into chocolate, then let set. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.