Brown Butter - Salted Caramel - Rice Krispie Treats

 

Recently I've been seeing a lot of pimped-up recipes for Rice Krispie Treats. Hmmm... I thought. It's about time somebody shook things up in the Rice Krispie Treats department. I mean they're good, but let's face it, they can definitely be improved upon. Brown Butter Rice Krispie Squares is definitely a step in the right direction. I even saw vanilla beans in place of extract in these treats. Sure, why not. Count me in. But still...

What if I browned the butter and then added caramel? I could throw in some good salt too - just a little bit - that might be fun!

These Rice Krispie Squares are amazing. I would even go so far as to say that I like them better than the ordinary run of the mill treats we grew up eating. They have more flavor, and they're not as sweet. They're still sweet, of course, but that hint of salt seems to tone it down a bit. The texture is slightly chewier than the original, they seem a bit more sturdy without being too hard. Next time you're looking for a crowd pleaser but want something a little more original - try these. They're like the Rice Krispie Square's sexier, more sophisticated cousin.

Recipe for Brown Butter - Salted Caramel - Rice Krispie Treats
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
5 ounces (approximately 3 cups or 1/2 bag) marshmallows 
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 340 gram bag of Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. kosher salt


Unwrap all the caramels and put in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tbsp. of milk.

 

Microwave the caramels and milk for 1 minute on full power. Stir. Cook for 30 second intervals stirring in between each, until the caramels are melted and smooth. Do no over-cook or they will make the squares hard.

Meanwhile, place your butter in a large pot and melt over medium heat, allowing it to cook until it reaches a medium brown color. (I didn't go as dark as I could have - because I didn't want the butter to overcook after I added the marshmallows and caramel.)  

Pull the butter off the heat, add the marshmallows. 

Stir quickly until most of the marshmallows have melted, then add your warm caramel sauce. Stir vigorously. If it appears as though the mixture isn't completely melting, put back on the heat for a couple of seconds, stirring constantly. Add salt.

 Once smooth, add rice krispies and mix until evenly coated. 

 Press into a greased 9 inch square pan and allow to cool. Cut and serve.