Homemade Pecan Rocha

The Christmas season is re-kindling my love for food and baking.  Thank you to those who have encouraged me to return to blogging.  This post is for you.

Here is a close-up of the delicious pecan rocha that Debi taught me how to make yesterday:

Doesn't it look divine?  To me, it tasted just heavenly.  Of course, I hadn't had anything carmel for some years (due to the fact that store-bought carmel has milk in it, and it never occurred to me that carmel was a thing that could be made at home, milk-free) but my other co-workers seem to agree that it was very tasty.

It was really easy to make... 

Ingredients:

• about 1 sleeve of saltine crackers
• 1 cup margarine (or butter)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 12 oz bag of mini chocolate chips (or more, to taste?)
• finely chopped nuts (almonds if you're traditional, or whatever you like)
• sheet of parchment paper to cover your baking tray

Cover the bottom of your baking tray or 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, and then lay the crackers out on top - being very careful not to overlap the crackers.

Melt the margarine in a small pot on the stovetop, and add the brown sugar.  Boil for 3 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.  Pour this carmel-y syrup over the crackers.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  Place in a preheated 350* oven and bake for 5 minutes.  Spread the melted chocolate chips with a spatula to form a chocolate-y crust.  Sprinkle the nuts on top, and press them into the chocolate a bit so that they will stay.

Allow the candy to cool, and then break up or cut with a knife.

Then the only question that remains is, will you share?

Happy baking!