Caramel Crispy Treats

Oh don't you just love picnic desserts? I especially like the really portable ones you don't need a plate for. The type you can grab just one more of while you're walking past the buffet table . . . the kind you can quickly lick away the evidence of eating . . .

The heat has turned up here in Mizzou so I thought I'd work with some of those lovely bars made of rice cereal and marshmallow. They're made on the stove so you don't heat up the entire house with them. They're pretty quick too.

Of course, I couldn't just leave them alone! I've been hankering for some caramel goodness lately and thought why not combine the two?

Here's the main things you'll need. I didn't take a picture of corn syrup because . . . well . . . being a clear liquid it's not very photogenic! 

Does the thought of making caramel make you nervous? Hot sugar, boiling pans, cream, crystallization . . . don't worry, we're not making REAL caramel. We're going to be making a tasty substitute.

Let's get the rice crispy treats started by melting a little butter. I hear tell you can do this in the microwave but frankly I always get the whole butter-marshmallow mixture too hot in there and end up with crispy rice asphalt balls! So get the butter melting . . .

This butter is boiling hot and bubbling. At this point it occurred to me that I've never tried brown butter in a crispy rice treat. Browned butter makes all sorts of simple things taste all nutty and roasty. Why not! Go ahead and cook your butter until it starts to get brown . . .

Keep stirring the butter because as it browns you'll discover every hot spot in your pan. We don't want black butter just brown! This is good so I went ahead and turned off the heat completely . . .

Everything is plenty hot enough already so stir vigorously! You'll see the little toasty bits of butter clinging to the marshmallows. Makes them look like toasted marshmallows! Kind of tastes like roasted marshmallows too! Keep stirring until the marshmallows have mainly melted into the butter. If you're using a really thin pan you might have to turn the heat up to low.

Dump in the cereal and get to stirring! This will finish up those last few lumps of marshmallow.

As soon as it's mixed together go ahead and dump it into a greased 9X13 pan.

Now the best tool for spreading them is a nice wet hand.

Be gentle! You don't want to go squishing the crispies!

Looks good enough to eat!

Maybe I'll just stop right here?

What? No? You want caramel on your treats? Okay . . .

New pan! More butter!

Get it melting while you measure out some brown sugar . . .

Mmmm, brown sugar! Quite possibly one of the most photogenic of all brown foods! I had just a bit of dark brown sugar in the pantry that was going a little dry so I decided to use it up. Finished out with the regular light brown. You can use either or a combo in this recipe.

In it goes!

Now for the corn syrup. The corn syrup helps the sugar and butter know that they're supposed to become smooth and glossy. It's a carbon-hydrogen-bonding-organic-chemistry sort of thingy.

Stir it all up and bring it to a simmer. As soon as the sugar melts you're ready.

A little salt while we're waiting for it to simmer. It enhances the smoky toasty notes in the caramel.

It's just starting to bubble along the sides.

It's done! Now I know you're tempted to taste it but . . . it's really very, very hot! Wave the spoon in the air a little before you do! As it cools it'll get thicker and thicker.

In 10-15 minutes it'll get pourable. See how it's forming a ribbon?

Oh the glory!

Spread it around!

All the way to the edge!

If you have no shame you can add sprinkles! Itty bitty chocolate chips!

Come to mama!

Mmm! The chocolate chips are starting to melt a little.

The treats have that satisfying crunch and chew I love them for. The caramel and brown butter sets off their lovely light flavor perfectly! The little sprinkle of chocolate on the top gives a real pow of bittersweet chocolate flavor. It almost overwhelms the caramel. Maybe I should of went with the honey roasted peanuts?


Caramel Crispy Treats

for the cereal bars
6 cups rice cereal
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter

for the caramel
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt

garnish
1/4 cup chocolate chips or nuts

To make the bars: Melt butter over medium heat in a 4 quart sauce pan. Cook, stirring regularly until butter begins to brown. This takes 1-5 minutes depending on the pan you use and the heat level you choose. Turn off heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted, turning on heat to low if they're not melting fast enough. Add cereal and mix together until all pieces are coated. Spread into 9X13 pan.

For caramel: Add caramel ingredients together into small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. As soon as sugar dissolves remove from heat and cool for 10-15 minutes.

Pour caramel over bars and spread to the edges. Add garnish if desired.