Salted Chocolate Caramel Rice Crispy Treats

These are Yuh-mmy! But pretty sweet and rich. Maybe start with half the gauche topping, it was a little too thick on ours. 

Yield: 16 large squares or 32 rectangles

Caramel:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

Rice Cereal Treat:

1 (10 oz) bag marshmallows

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups Rice Cereal

Chocolate Gauche:

2 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy cream

Salt to top

Directions

1. Grease a 9X13 pan.

2. Caramel: In a small sauce pan, combine sugar and water.

3. Place on medium-high heat and do not stir.

4. On another burner, heat heavy cream. You don't want to boil it, just make it so it's not cold.

5. Watch the sugar solution until the outer edges start to turn amber. Take off heat and WHISK!

7. Add butter and continue whisking. When that is fully combined, add warm cream, salt and whisk! Set aside and relax, the hard part is over.

8. Rice Cereal Treat: In the microwave on the stove top, melt marshmallows, butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth and add caramel sauce.

9. Stir in Rice Cereal until well combined and dump into your prepared pan. Flatten using a buttered spatula or your buttered fingers.

10. Chocolate Gauche: Place chocolate in heat-proof bowl and set aside. Heat cream until it is just about to boil, pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth.

11. Let the gauche cool for a few minutes. Then, pour chocolate over your rice cereal layer and shake pan gently to distribute evenly. Let set for a few minutes, then sprinkle with coarse salt.

12. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set. Cut and serve!

Note: When sprinkling with salt, use caution. 

Peanut Butter Popcorn

-1/4 cup honey

-1/2 cup peanut butter-2 quarts popped corn

Bring to boil 1/4 cup of honey, let boil one full minute after honey comes to rolling boil.  Take off heat and add 1/2 cup peanut butter.  Stir, then pour over 2 quarts popcorn, stirring until cool.  May use crunchy or plain peanut butter. 

White Chocolate Popcorn

-1/2 cup kernels for a popcorn maker OR 1 bag buttered microwave popcorn

-1 bag white chocolate chips

Pop popcorn. Line a large baking sheet with parchment/wax paper and set aside. Place popcorn (and any other mix-ins) in large bowl and set aside. Melt white chocolate chips in microwave for 30 seconds intervals and stir in between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate over popcorn and gently combine. Spread onto baking sheet until harden.

Fun mix-ins: nuts, m&m's, sprinkles, etc.

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

4 quarts popped popcorn

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter/margarine

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.

In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof dish, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave. Stir until well blended. Return to microwave cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove and stir in baking soda.

Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top to close the bag and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into microwave and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over and return to microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Almond Joy Popcorn

This is DELICIOUS!

If you're popping your own, do 1/2 C kernels. toss popped popcorn in 3 T butter, sprinkle with popcorn salt. Otherwise use one bag of buttered microwave popcorn.

4-6 oz. milk chocolate chips

up to 1/4 C vegetable oil (optional)

1/3 C sweetened, shredded coconut

1/3 C sliced almonds

Spread the popcorn over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Melt chocolate in plastic bowl, not glass, in the microwave.  Heat for approximately 3 minutes (microwaves vary), stirring every 30 seconds.  If the chocolate isn't runny enough, add a little vegetable oil and heat for an additional 20 sec until it's runny enough to drip off the spoon.  Drizzle chocolate over popcorn, then sprinkle coconut and almonds on top. Leave out on the counter to set.  

Go-To Fondue

We recently had an RS activity on FHE. I'm going to post a bunch of the desserts/treat recipes that we sent home with everyone!

-1 cup milk chocolate chips

-2-3 Tbsp. whipping cream

-spoonful of creamy or chunky peanut butter (optional)

Microwave for 30 seconds, stirring in between to prevent burning. Stir until smooth.

Dip bananas, strawberries, graham  crackers, pretzels, big marshmallows, rice crispie treats, etc.