Sweet and Crunchy: Candied Yam Rice Krispie Treats Recipe for Serious Eats

It's time to combine two marvelous marshmallow-based recipes to form one delicious treat: the Candied Yam Rice Krispies Treat.

What's not to love about this seasonal mashup? Separately, both cereal treats and candied yam casseroles are delicious; both dishes rely on marshmallows for their sweet, signature taste. But the key to this combination is their contrasting crispy textures; when they come together, you're rewarded with a crispy-creamy-moist-and-chewy sort of marshmallow nirvana, sweetly spiced and perfect with hot chocolate or chai tea.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Crispy, Creamy, Gooey: Caramel Pudding Pie in a Rice Krispie Treat Crust

Guess what? Today is National Pie Day. Why today? I don't have a good answer for that, but when I have given you a perfectly good reason to eat pie, your follow-up question shouldn't be "why", but "why not?" and the only thing you should really be concerned with is how you'll celebrate.

Happily, in Seattle, there's an annual Pie Day Party in the Ballard neighborhood; however, even if you're nowhere near Seattle, you can still enjoy this extremely easy and incredibly delicious recipe for Pudding Pie in a Rice Krispie Treat Crust (which, incidentally, is what I will be bringing to the party). Though I used caramel pudding, you could use any flavor you like (vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch, or even pistachio sound good to me) -- either way, the resulting treat, which has a satisfying mix of crunchy, gooey, and creamy textures and flavors, is good to the last bite.

Pudding Pie in a Rice Krispie Treat Crust

Serves about 8

 Ingredients

  • 1 batch Rice Krispie Treat Batter
  • 1 batch instant pudding (3.3 ounce size box)
  • optional: mix-ins for your pudding (chocolate chips, caramel sauce, coconut flakes, etc)

 Procedure

  1. Prepare your pie plate by buttering it generously (the slices can be hard to remove if you don't).
  2. Make Rice Krispie treats as you usually would, in the microwave or on the stovetop; however, instead of pressing the mixture into a square pan as usual, press it into your pie plate, pressing the mixture down on the bottom and up the sides, holding a piece of waxed paper to press so the mixture doesn't stick to your hands. You might not use all of the treat batter; if not, press the remaining mixture into small ramekins or form into Krispie balls to enjoy later.
  3. Let the crust cool completely.
  4. Prepare your instant pudding (typically by whisking the pudding and 2 cups cold milk together until it starts to thicken); if desired, add a handful of chocolate chips, a swirl of caramel, or whatever mix-ins you'd like. Spoon the pudding into your pie crust and keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve it. Ideally, let the pie set for about an hour before serving so the pudding can completely thicken.
  5. Use a very sharp knife to slice, to ensure that you cut through the krispie treat crust; serve using a cake server.

 

 

Such a Flake: Cornflake Wreath Cookies Recipe

This cornflake wreath magically has a star shape in the center!Cornflake wreaths are like the Rice Krispie Treat's Christmas-y cousin, made in very much the same method, but decorated in a far more festive fashion.

They're a classic that many of you probably grew up with, so it's probably not a new recipe for you, but sometimes it's sweet to pay homage to the old favorites, no?

Here's how I make them.

Cornflake Wreaths

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 4 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 teaspoon green food coloring
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (can use all vanilla or all almond extract, if preferred)
  • 4 cups Corn Flakes

Procedure

  1. On your stovetop in a saucepan, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the marshmallows and mix frequently until they get melty and cohesive.
  2. Add and mix quickly the coloring, extracts, then Corn flakes.
  3. Drop by spoonfuls in to little stacks on greased wax paper; using your fingers, work holes into the center of each stack (I find it easiest to do this as you spoon them). Garnish with red candies if desired.
  4. Let cool, and serve. This recipe makes 15-20, depending on size.

Full of Charm: Lucky Charms Treats Recipe

To tell you what a Lucky Charms Treat is--which basically amounts to a Rice Krispie Treat, but with Lucky Charms--really doesn't do it justice.

Because while this technically tells you what they are, it really doesn't tell you about the strange beauty of seeing how the marshmallow colors run into each other, and the surprise of coming across an extra marshmallowy pocket of flavor while crunching through these super sweet treats (which I made for the Great American Bake Sale).

But perhaps you might get a hint of the magic that is the Lucky Charms Treat if I show you the pan used to make them, which was streaked with marshmallow rainbows after being emptied into the pan to cool:

...or maybe that just sealed your resolve to never, ever go down this road.

But if you'd like to see for yourself, here's the recipe (oh, and if you like messing with cereal treats, you might like this too).

Lucky Charms Treats

Makes about 12

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 6 cups Lucky Charms

Procedure

  1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. 
  2. Add cereal; stir until uniformly coated.
  3. Using a buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.