So, all of the recipes I have lined up to share with you from this point until I start hearing cacophonies of birds in the mornings and I resume my 9p.m. sunset walks around the neighbourhood involve butternut squash, pounds and pounds of butter, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, apples, Brussels sprouts and dough. Heaps and heaps of dough: cookie dough, croissant dough, pasta dough, biscuit dough, bread dough.
If ever I was innocently curious, come the cacophanies of birds and late-night walks, as to why my capri pants and spring jackets are a little snugger than I remember them being when I hung them up for the season, may the source of the problem be ever recorded here and revealed to you, my dear readers.
Nevertheless, I take deep comfort in the smell of a buttery puff pastry experiment happening in my kitchen on a cold rainy Sunday while my hubby makes Play-Dough horsies with my daughter, glancing up occasionally to catch the latest play in the football game. I love an excuse to put cinnamon and cardamom in anything, and Brussels sprouts are pretty to-die-for when roasted and tossed with bacon and feta, no matter what the season.
It is time to pull out your flannel pjs, pull up your legwarmers, put on a pot of tea, and make some chai browned butter rice krispie squares.
I got the original idea for this recipe from my pal, food blogger, photographer and food stylist extraordinaire, Kelly Neil. I used the classic Rice Krispie treat recipe but then, for extra flavour, I decided to brown the butter before adding it to the marshmallow. Plus, I used my own recipe for chai spice, found in this tea recipe. The result is a perfect combination of grown-up flavour profile and childhood treat (most often served in my home with maraschino cherries mixed in…).
Enjoy!
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 package large marshmallows (about 4 cups)
- 5 tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. chai spices (see chai tea recipe blog post)
- Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the butter begins to darken and take on a rich, nutty fragrance. The surface of the butter will froth. When the butter is brown and frothy, remove it from the heat. Be careful that you watch the butter - it will brown very quickly.
- Grease a 9x11 baking dish. Add the marshmallows and browned butter to a microwave safe bowl and microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until you can stir them into one homogenous mixture. Add the vanilla and chai spices. Combine the marshmallow mixture with the cereal and then press into the prepared baking dish. Allow to cool and serve. Enjoy!
