Makes about 2 cups
Here’s a dark cocoa crunch that’s made to sprinkle over ice cream sundaes, puddings (it’s exactly what you want over Dark Chocolate Pudding) and tarts. The crunch is really a baked streusel.
If you want to scatter it over a crisp or any other dessert destined for the oven, use it raw.
Working Ahead
You can put the baked crumbs in a sealed container, where they’ll keep at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or, refrigerate for about 2 weeks, or freeze airtight for up to 2 months. Run the crumbs through your fingers to de-clump before using.
Put all the ingredients except the butter in a large bowl and, using your fingers, mix them together, making sure that the brown sugar and cocoa powder don’t have any hard lumps. Drop in the butter bits and squeeze, rub or otherwise mash everything together until you have clumps and curds. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Scatter the chilled mix over the baking sheet and use your fingers to loosen the clumps.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until you’ve got crumbs and small clusters. They’ll look sandy and you’ll have some pebble-sized clumps here and there. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool to room temperature.