Loaves n Dishes: CHOCOLATE CARAMEL KRISPY PRETZEL TREATS

Sometimes I am so oblivious to what is going on in the rest of the world…I blame the DVR. The most of the TV that I watch is what I’ve recorded; so if my husband doesn’t enlighten me, I have no idea of anything that’s gone down anywhere else. Last evening, however I had the 6 o’clock news on and was so surprised to see that 20 % of the county is in the middle of a giant snow storm. I live in South Florida…I’m not gonna rub our weather in any one’s face; it’s just that I forget that it’s winter everywhere else.

So I hope and pray that y’all are safe and warm.

If you get a hankerin’ while you’re hunkerin’ down I have THE thing to brighten up your gloomy snow bound day, a cure for that cabin fever… Chocolate Caramel Krispy Pretzel Treats!

I actually attempted to make Dulce de Leche Rice Krispy Treats from a scratch caramel sauce, but it didn’t work out well at all. The treats were too sticky and too sweet. I found these little Caramel Bits at Target and totally rethought my plan of attack. I also added salty pretzels to play off the sweetness of the caramel. Top it off with semi-sweet chocolate and the result is Rice Krispy Treat perfection!

The only downfall to Chocolate Caramel Krispy Pretzel Treats, other than the long name (What would you call them?) is that because of the whole salty, sweet, thing you can’t stop at one.

Here's how you achieve all that Rice Krispy Treat perfection.

Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan liberally with softened butter.

Put the pretzels into a zipper bag, and roll a rolling pin over the pretzels to slightly crush them. You want good texture, so don't crush them too much or the pretzels will be more like crumbs.

Combine the Rice Krispies and crushed pretzels in a large bowl (reserve 1/2 cup of the pretzel to sprinkle over the top of the treats at the end). This bowl is narrow on the bottom, so I had to work to get the treats all combined. If the bottom of the bowl is wide it's easier to mix everything together.

I just found these little babies a couple of months ago; it was love at first sight! If you can't find them, you can unwrap some regular caramels. Just keep in mind that the bag of Caramel Bits is 11 ounces while the bag of wrapped caramels is 14 ounces; so that means you'll have to eat a handful of the wrapped caramels.

Melt the butter and caramel together in the top of a double boiler, there's no need to melt the butter first. I used a double boiler, but I included microwave directions in the recipe.

When the caramel bits are about half way melted add the marshmallows.

When the marshmallow mixture is completely melted and smooth, stir in some vanilla.

Pour about half of the marshmallow mixture to the cereal and pretzels, give it a stir. Then pour the remaining marshmallow mixture, and stir until completely incorporated.

Dump the cereal treats in the prepared pan. Spray a little cooking spray on your fingers to keep them from sticking and use your fingers to press the cereal evenly into the pan.

I used semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe, because the caramel is sweet. Go ahead and melt the chocolate and then spread it evenly over the pan of treats.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of crushed pretzels over the top of the melted chocolate.

When the chocolate has set they are ready to cut.

Go ahead and enjoy, bet you can't eat just one!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL KRISPY PRETZEL TREATS

Makes a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan

¼ cup Butter

11 oz. bag Caramel Bits

10 oz. bag Mini marshmallows

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

5 cups Rice Krispies cereal

2 ½ cups Salted pretzel, slightly crushed; divided use

1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan liberally with softened butter.

2. Combine the Rice Krispies cereal and 2 cups of the crushed pretzels in a large bowl, set to the side.

3. In the top of a double boiler melt the butter and Caramel Bits.

*or use a large microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for about 60 seconds, stirring after 40 seconds.

4. When the Caramel Bits are melted half way, add the marshmallows, stir until smooth.

*or return to the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes, stirring after 45 seconds.

5. Add the vanilla extract to the marshmallow mixture.

6. Pour half of the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and pretzels. Give it a stir to incorporate.

7. Pour the remaining marshmallow mixture and stir until everything is completely combined.

8. Pour the mixture into the greased pan, put a little butter or cooking spray on your fingers to keep them from sticking; use your fingers to press the mixture evenly in the pan.

9. In the top of the double boiler melt the semi-sweet chocolate.

*or in the microwave melt on high for 30 seconds then stir, and then put back in the microwave for only 10 seconds at a time, stirring each time.

10. Pour the melted chocolate over the Rice Krispy Treats, and use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the whole top; sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of pretzels over the melted chocolate.

11. Cut into squares once the chocolate has set. To speed up the setting of the chocolate, you can put the pan of treats into the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

You may also like: