Matzo Magic Bars

Andrea Potischman | Feb 17, 2024

I’ll be honest, I’m crazy anxious. But truthfully, who isn’t these days? Life, as we know it, has changed. My college friend said it best, “it feels like life has been canceled“. We all seek comfort in different ways, there should be no judgment, maybe that’s the real takeaway in all this.

I am particularly bummed out by the arrival of the Easter and Passover and the inability to see friends and family on such occasions. I hope that no matter where you are or who you’re in lockdown with you can honor whatever holiday you choose in some way, big or small, and take comfort that this time will pass. For my family, that means celebrating Passover, which is a significant holiday within Judaism.

For those that are not Jewish, Passover, (or Pesach in Hebrew), is one of the Jewish religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays. In Judaism, Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt.

During Passover Jews observe the week-long festival with a few important rituals including a traditional Passover meal known as a seder and the removal of leavened products (known as chametz) from the home. I will tell you, not eating bread products makes for a very long week.

Instead of bread, religious Jews eat a type of flatbread called matzo. This is because the Hebrews fled Egypt in such haste that there was no time for their bread to rise, or perhaps because matzo was lighter and easier to carry through the desert than regular bread.

My family and I observe Passover each year and in observance, we eat matzo instead of bread. This is not the easiest task to do while in lockdown, but we’re trying. For the matzo, we typically make our own. For dessert, we get creative because it’s a long holiday.

This recipe for matzo magic bars is an example of how creative one can get in quarantine. But the result is fantastic. In all honestly, you would be surprised what you can do with matzo which some compare to a simple saltine cracker. You can also make your own condensed milk if you don’t happen to have any. This is a super easy recipe for Passover but one those who are not Jewish may love just as much because chances are you can probably get matzo easier than you can get flour these days! Inspired by seven-layer bars, this recipe doesn’t disappoint.

Matzo Magic Bars

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Rate this recipe

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7 ratings

Servings:

8

Prep:

10 minutes

Cook:

30 minutes

Total:

40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 5-6 sheets egg or plain Matzo
• 3/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup lightly salted pistachios, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup health bar bits
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• One (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment and lightly grease.
2. Place the matzo in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, breaking it as needed. Sprinkle the mixed nuts over the matzo, followed by health bar bites and the chocolate, white chocolate and milk chocolate chips. Next sprinkle half the coconut on top of the chocolate. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over top. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut.
3. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is just lightly golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting. Cut into bars and serve at room temperature.