Thursday, December 20, 2012

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

I have sworn by my Grandma Ray's Camping Treats my whole life.  Until now.  You see, before I found the recipe below, I made Rice Krispie Treats her way, by adding some peanut butter to the marshmallow mixture, then spreading the top with a semisweet chocolate layer.  That's over for me now, though, because I have found Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats, and I love you all enough to share the discovery.

If it looks like I just copied/pasted this, it's because I did.  It needs no tweaking and you should all make them RIGHT AWAY.  You neeeeeed these.  You deserve these!  Hide them from the kids and indulge on the couch after they're asleep.  You're welcome.

Deb Perelman | Smitten KitchenSalted Brown Butter Crispy Treats 
from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook 

Yield: 12 2-inch squares or 32 1-by- 2-inch bars 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan 
Heaping ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt 
One 10- ounce bag large or miniature marshmallows 
6 cups puffed- rice cereal (about half a 12- ounce box; I've had luck with brown rice cereals as well) 
Butter (or coat with nonstick spray) an 8- inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides 

Brown the butter: In a large pot, melt 1 stick 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: You may be impatient for it to start browning, but the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. 

Make the crispy treats: As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off, sprinkle salt over butter, 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 over low heat until the marshmallows are smooth. Be careful not to cook the marshmallows, which will destroy their stretchy softness; you're just looking for enough heat so they will melt and smooth out. Remove the pot from the stove, and stir in the cereal, folding it gently with the marshmallow mixture until the cereal is evenly coated. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I 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 and smooth the top, though a silicon spatula works almost as well. Let cool, then cut into squares and get ready to make new friends. 

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