Chocolate

Caramelized Bark with Rice Krispies

October 25, 2011
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Nicole Franzen
  • Makes 1 pound
Author Notes

Dark chocolate studded with caramelized crispy rice cereal. It is like a grown up crunch bar. Easy to make and give as gifts. —Couldn't Be Parve

Test Kitchen Notes

A bark as sweet as its bite? That's certainly the case here. Toasty, crisp and crunchy, this candy will snap, crackle and pop its way into your regular roster of holiday confections. It's outrageously easy to make, you can crank out batch after batch for every wintertime occasion. Wrapped neatly in parchment and twine, it would make an excellent hostess gift or a perfect stocking stuffer. Just be sure to pay close attention to the caramel—you want to make sure the sugar cooks long enough to provide the crackly kick needed to make this bar a bark. —Lauren Utvich

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
  • 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
Directions
  1. Place a silpat mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper lightly spray it with cooking spray. Spray a spatula with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and stir to combine. Place pan over medium-high heat and stir just until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar comes to a boil do not stir the mixture. If it is cooking unevenly gently swirl the pan. Cook until the mixture turns a medium amber color.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rice cereal until it is coated with the sugar mixture. Turn the mixture out onto the prepared pan and spread it as thin as possible using the greased spatula.
  4. Let the caramelized rice cereal cool. Break it into pieces and place it in a large zip-top bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the pieces until they are the size of one or two pieces of rice.
  5. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Temper or melt the chocolate. The easiest way to melt chocolate is in a microwave on 50% power. Stir every 30 seconds to prevent the chocolate from burning. Spread the chocolate on the parchment paper into a layer approximately 1/4 inch thick.
  6. Sprinkle the chocolate with the caramelized cereal. Press down lightly on the cereal to insure that it sticks to the chocolate. Place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until the chocolate sets.
  7. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. If using tempered chocolate store the chocolate at room temperature. If not, store the bark in the refrigerator.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Hanna Clarke
    Hanna Clarke
  • Naureen Akhter
    Naureen Akhter
  • JoMarie Ricketts
    JoMarie Ricketts
  • boulangere
    boulangere
  • em-i-lis
    em-i-lis

13 Reviews

Hanna C. November 24, 2018
So delicious and simple to make. Perfect treat to get the kids involved in the making of it.
 
Naureen A. December 12, 2017
Thanks for the great recipe! I made these to top my mini chocolate cereal tarts and it was a hit! Won people's choice for best dessert =)
 
JoMarie R. November 25, 2013
oh my god. I just tried making this for the third time and all i'm ending up with is frosted rice krispie cereal...much like frosted flakes. I am so irritated and I didn't stir, only swirled, washed down the sides of the pan, made sure everything was completely clean...I've made caramels and many other sugar treats before...so does anyone have any ideas? what temperature/stage did you bring the sugar to?
 
Couldn't B. December 19, 2013
I am so sorry you are having trouble with this. I just tried making it again and it came out just like it has before. It is important to cook the sugar without stirring once it is melted, but other than that I don't what to suggest. Did you wash any remaining sugar crystals off the spatula before stirring in the rice krispys?
 
boulangere April 4, 2013
How did this get by me? It looks delicious!
 
em-i-lis September 6, 2012
Hi! If I make this today, do you think it will still be nice and fresh on Sunday? Thank you!!
 
EmilyC September 6, 2012
I made it around the holidays and found it kept well for 1+ weeks. It might even keep longer than that. It's really delicious and SO easy. I'd recommend tempering the chocolate so you get a nice pretty sheen and then you'll also be able to store it at room temp, as Couldn't Be Parve points out.
 
em-i-lis September 6, 2012
Thank you so much, Emily! That's so helpful!
 
CindyR March 25, 2012
Have you tried it with milk chocolate?
Could be a great kid friendly snack.
 
Couldn't B. March 28, 2012
I haven't tried it with milk chocolate but I'm sure it would be tasty. I would use a higher percentage milk chocolate, however, so it doesn't get too sweet.
 
EmilyC December 18, 2011
I finally got around to making this today -- and wow, it's so easy, delicious and addictive! I kept breaking off little shards of it while assembling plates for neighbors. Thanks for the great recipe!
 
EmilyC November 3, 2011
This looks so tasty! Saved!
 
Couldn't B. November 4, 2011
I'm glad you like it!