Salted Brown Butter Crispy Bars

We had snow here last weekend.  In October!  No one was prepared for it.  We made it through unscathed (except for the boredom that hit on Saturday afternoon) but my parents lost power and had to head to a hotel.  Oh, and did I mention that my mom’s birthday was on Monday (Halloween)?  I’ll have to bake her something special when we see them for her belated birthday celebration.

You’d think that being stuck indoors for that long would have inspired me to try something time-consuming. Instead, I found myself looking for something comforting and simple, yet different.  It didn’t take me long before I came across the perfect recipe, thanks to Smitten Kitchen.  Her take on the classic Rice Krispie treat is so crazy good that I couldn’t wait to try it.  The first change she makes is to brown the butter, giving the treats a slight nutty flavor.  This was my first time browning butter and her directions were spot on.  As soon as the butter started to turn brown I took it off the heat, then threw the marshmallows in.  Once the marshmallows melted into the butter, making an ooey gooey mess that I was tempted to eat on its own, you add in the Rice Krispies and a touch of salt.  These are perfect for to satisfy a sweet/salty craving and couldn’t be easier to make.  They’re a great improvement on a classic childhood treat.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Bars (from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes about 16 2-inch squares

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

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) a 9-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. Keep an eye on the butter, as it goes from browned to burned very quickly.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, stir in the marshmallows and turn the heat to low.   

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. Press the bars down with waxed paper, sprayed with cooking spray.  Let cool, then cut and enjoy.