Ode to the Rice Krispy Treat

The mega Rice Krispy Treat is sold on the UAF campus for $1.59. I was only able to eat half. This sucker's huge!

I haven’t written on this blog for a month. I realized this just moments ago and thought, “Hell, I better get work…but what do I write about?” The giant Rice Krispy Treat that I just purchased at the West Ridge Cafe was sitting before me and lo and behold, inspiration struck.

So, Rice Krispy Treats. They’re awesome and they’re easy, so therefore, they are one of my favorite treats to whip up. Although they’re not baked, I also seem to offer these up whenever there’s a bake sale I need to contribute to. Again, they’re not baked, but nobody seems to mind. I think everybody loves Rice Krispy Treats. Seriously, have you ever met a single person that didn’t like them? I know, weird, huh? They’re universally loved. There are millions of hits when you type the words “Rice Krispy Treats” into Google and they’re even included in Wikipedia. The entry’s kinda lame, but I did learn that the treats were developed nearly 100 years ago by the Home Economics Department at the Kellogg Company. They were designed as a fundraiser for Camp Fire Girls.

So, what else about Rice Krispy Treats… oh, the best recipe I’ve ever had for them is one where you brown the butter and you add salt. This may seem odd, but try it and show your love to the Rice Krispy Treat! Here’s the recipe:

Salted Brown Butter Krispy Treats

Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.

Enjoy!

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