Today my son begged me to make him some 'cracker candy'.  This is a treat that I make him every now and then, that he absolutely loves.  It always ends up with his little face and hands smeared in chocolate, and me holding him at arms length while I propel him toward the bathroom to clean up. 

It's so addictive that the mess is worth it. The crunchy saltiness of the crackers pair really well with the sticky sweetness of the homemade toffee sauce and melted chocolate.  Try to eat just one.  I bet you can't.

Candied Saltines

24 saltine crackers

1/2 Cup (1 stick) of butter

1/2 Cup brown sugar

3/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place the crackers in rows inside a quarter sheet pan.  In a saucepan melt the stick of butter, then add the brown sugar.  Bring the mixture to a full boil, and allow to boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  It is important to keep stirring so your mixture doesn't burn.  Now pour the mixture over the saltines and spread around so the crackers are evenly covered.  The mixture will be thick.  Put the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes.  Remove the pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel mixture.  Let sit for a few minutes so the chocolate begins to melt, then spread the chocolate evenly over the surface.  Place the pan in the freezer to chill completely.  When ready, take the pan out and either cut the candy into pieces, or break it into chunky pieces. 

Tip: You can double the recipe to fit a half sheet pan if making for a large gathering.  For extra variety you can sprinkle a topping over the chocolate before placing the the freezer.  I have tried peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, m&m's, etc.