Black and White Krispie Treats

I love homemade rice krispie treat. Maybe one day rice krispie treats will be the new hip baked good, like cupcakes, macarons, and whoopie pies have been the last few years. Except that it isn't reallly baked, but you know what I mean.

Earlier this week I saw a recipe for Hot Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats. I was immediately sold but when I got to the grocery store I just couldn't commit to cocoa krispies. It took me back to 3rd grade when my grandmother had 18 types of cereal and we ate a different one each day. Anybody remember Reeses Peanut Butter Cup cereal? I swear it looked like dog food but I still ate it. And Trix? I always felt bad for the rabbit and how they never gave him any cereal so I boycotted it. Really, I just didn't like it, but that was another good reason. I couldn't see me eating a bowl of cocoa krispies and instead just bought the regular kind. Actually the store brand, because I was feeling cheap that day.

So once I got around to making them I had to figure out another way to make them chocolate since I also felt too cheap for hot chocolate mix. If I drink hot chocolate I like the real thing. I hate how hot chocolate mix never dissolves all the way. So basically, I scrapped the whole recipe.

Here is what I did:

Black and White Krispie Treats

1/4 cup of butter (half a stick)

1 bag of marshmallows (plus 1/2 bag for later)

4 oz. good semisweet chocolate (1 bar)

6 cups rice krispies

Spray baking pan with cooking spray. Chop 1/2 of chocolate bar and melt with butter in a large saucepan over low heat. When chocolate and butter are melted add 1 bag of mini marshmallows. Continue to stir until marshmallows are melted and incorporated with chocolate.

Remove from heat and add 6 cups of rice krispies. Now add 2 cups of mini marshmallows. Stir in until slightly melted. Pour into prepared pan and press down. Immediately spread 2 cups of marshmallows on top of krispies and press down. Let cool.

Melt remaining 1/2 bar (2 oz.) of chocolate over a double boiler until melted. With a spatula drizzle over krispies and marshmallows. Let cool and cut into squares.

S'mores Cupcakes

Maybe it was because it was the first day of summer and s'mores are the unofficial summer treat but the cupcake stars aligned and I got an idea. Yesterday, I saw this post by Jordan for S'mores kits. After saving that idea away, I wanted a s'more. Right then, in the 96 degree middle of the day with no campfire around and in the middle of downtown Salisbury. Not really an option. Then I saw that Martha's Cookie of the Day was S'mores Cookies. Okay idea Martha, but a s'more cookie wasn't enough. I needed a s'more cupcake. I actually went to bed and layed awake thinking of different combinations to make the perfect s'mores cupcake.

Here's what I came up with:

Cupcake:

The cupcake would be chocolate, nothing else was never an option. I used Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe because it's the best chocolate cupcake. To make it a true s'mores cupcake, I added graham cracker crumbs on top of the cupcake batter once I put them in the cupcake tins. Bake 20 minutes and you get a perfect graham cracker chocolate cupcake.

Chocolate Topping:

I melted a Hershey's Bar and put a huge spoonful on top of each cupcake. I could have used fancier chocolate but I wanted the authentic s'more taste.

Marshmallow Frosting:

I totally made this up.

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 (7 oz) jars of marshmallow cream

3 cups powdered sugar (give or take)

It was really all over the place but that I blame my kitchen being 90 degrees. Tastes just like a melted marshmallow though!

Add some more graham cracker crumbs....

Right after these photos were taken I grabbed up a cupcake and quickly moved to the sink since it was melting everywhere and proceeded to eat a cupcake in 3 bites. I tasted just like a s'more and it wasn't until the last bite I noticed how good the chocolate cake was with the rest of the s'more taste. Messy, yes. But isn't that the way s'mores are supposed to be?