Salted Crispy Rice Treats

Betsy and I spent 10 days together just before and during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta which ended Sunday. Michael was able to join us for a few days, too (limited leave days, you know). The little boys were with Mommy at Grandma and Grandpa's house so I feel pretty spoiled to have had them all with us.

I made this grown-up version of the familiar treat while my visitors were with me. Betsy and I both feel a little shamefaced that we share an affection for Rice Krispie Treats, at least the homemade kind. But our fondness for the confection grew recently when I found this recipe. The original instructions don't call for drizzling melted chocolate over them but I couldn't see that it would hurt anything. It didn't!

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Salted Crispy Rice Treats

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman
Yields 16 2-inch squares

1 stick (8 T) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1/2 teas flaky salt
1 pkg. (10-oz) marshmallows, large or miniature
6 c crispy rice cereal, regular or brown rice
1 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, optional

Butter an 8-inch square cake pan (it will need to have 2-inch sides)

In a large pot, melt the stick of butter over medium-low heat. It will foam, then turn clear golden, start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently and watch closely so it doesn't get darker than the color of a pecan shell.

As soon as the butter has browned, remove it from the burner. Stir in the salt and then the marshmallows. The residual heat should melt the marshmallows but if you need to, return to very low heat for a short time. The marshmallows should be smooth but retain their opaque whiteness.

Remove the marshmallow mixture from the stove and stir in the cereal, stirring it until coated. Spread into the prepared pan and press it firmly into the corners. Use a piece of parchment or wax paper, sprayed with oil to keep it from sticking. If your hands are tough, you can butter your fingers and press the mixture down without resorting to the paper. Apparently a silicone spatula will work fairly well, too.

Let cool. Melt chocolate in microwave, 10-20 seconds at a time, depending on your microwave's power. I  used a spoon to drizzle the chocolate, but it wasn't very efficient. Just yesterday I read that you can put warm chocolate into a ziplock bag, clip a tiny bit of a corner, and squeeze a thin drizzle out. I haven't tried this; I'll report back when I do.

You may also mold this in a 9X13 cake pan, but the treats will be thinner, of course. I'm sure you could double it, too.