Take a basic recipe, then add a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate for the ultimate get-rich-quick scheme.
It's a fact: the crispy rice square is a near-perfect sweet snack. It's hard to improve on it, but I'd say one way to do it is to add caramel and chocolate, and keep the process ridiculously easy. There are no candy thermometers, no molten boiling sugar, and no double-boilers for the chocolate. These come together in about 20 minutes, and as always, they are no-bake. Such ease should not be allowed to create something so good, but it magically does. This recipe makes a nice big pan, but if you like you can halve the recipe and use a 9" square pan, or freeze half (see Tip, below).
Rice Crispie Millionaires
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter 5 cups mini marshmallows 5 cups crispy rice cereal 1 tsp. vanilla For the caramel: 1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup corn syrup 1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method
Line a 13x9" baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large pot, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and vanilla, and stir until the marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat at immediately dump in the cereal, stirring with a wooden spoon until the cereal is fully incorporated into the melted marshmallows.
Turn into the prepared pan, and press evenly, paying special attention to the corners. It helps to wet your hands a little to press it down nice and firmly. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Place over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Be very careful not to allow it to stick to the bottom - and it will try. Stirring constantly and using moderate heat will prevent this.
When the mixture begins to bubble, set a timer for 5 minutes, and continue stirring as it cooks. When the timer goes off, remove from heat, and use a rubber spatula to scrape it onto the crispy rice squares. Tilt the pan to ensure it gets into all the corners. Allow to cook for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so while they melt. Use an offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel. Allow to cool completely, then chill the bars for 30 minutes.
Use a corner of the parchment and slide the bars onto a cutting board. Use a large chef knife to trim the edges evenly (kitchen snacks!) then cut into bars of any size you like. Store in an airtight container for about a week.
Tip: I like to cut the slab in half and freeze half for another time. They will keep well-wrapped (I wrap them in the parchment from the pan, then pop it into a freezer bag or wrap tightly with plastic wrap) for three months.
Comments