Peppermint 'Crack'

Ingredients

• 51 saltine crackers, approximately
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces high quality dark chocolate
• 2/3 cup crushed candy canes or peppermints

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a 12 x 17 inch jelly roll pan with foil. Arrange the saltines in the pan with the salted sides facing up, fitting them close together without letting them overlap. Tuck broken cracker pieces into any open spaces along the bottom of the pan, then set it aside. Chop the chocolate into pieces roughly the size of standard chocolate chips, and keep that nearby too.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often with a spatula. When the butter is fully melted, stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until combined. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns a uniform deep brown and starts to bubble. Take the pan off the heat and pour the mixture over the saltines, using the spatula to spread it across them.
3. Bake the crackers for 5 minutes, just until the butter mixture starts bubbling. Pull the pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate evenly over the top, letting the residual heat soften it. Use the spatula to smooth the melted chocolate into an even layer, covering all the crackers.
4. Allow the chocolate to cool a bit, until it feels cool when touched but has not firmed up. Scatter the crushed candy canes or peppermints evenly over the chocolate, then refrigerate until the chocolate is set and firm. Break into pieces and serve.