Cereal Cube Castle Recipes

PUFFED-RICE BARS WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, butter, and salt. Cook over medium, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes. Add cereal and stir to combine. With a wooden spoon greased with cooking spray or oil, press half the cereal mixture into dish. Spread half the melted chocolate on top. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture and chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts.

CEREAL-CUBE CASTLE

Steps:

• Combine butter, marshmallows, and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Turn off heat, and add cereal. Stir into the marshmallow mixture until thoroughly combined, scraping all the mixture from bottom of pan.
• Coat an 8-by-3-inch square professional baking pan with cooking spray. Cut out an 8-by-20-inch sheet of waxed paper. Set it in pan, with excess extending from two sides. Coat with nonstick spray. Spoon in mixture; coat palms of hands with cooking spray, and press firmly into pan, making sure that there are as few air pockets as possible. Be sure to press into corners of pan. Let cool.
• Remove mixture from pan by lifting the overhanging waxed paper. Using a serrated knife, cut into 2-inch cubes. Stack cubes, as desired, to form a castle.

CRISP CANDY-CORN TREATS

Steps:

• Lightly coat a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium. Add 4 cups miniature marshmallows and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; stir until melted. Stir in 3 cups crisp puffed-rice cereal and immediately transfer to pan. Coat an offset spatula with cooking spray and firmly press mixture into an even layer.
• Rinse saucepan. Repeat step 1 twice: To second batch, add orange zest and enough yellow and red food coloring to tint marshmallow mixture orange before adding cereal, then press into pan. To third batch, add lemon zest and enough yellow food coloring to tint marshmallow mixture yellow. Press third batch into pan.
• Let set 2 hours (or overnight). Run a small knife around edges of pan and invert loaf onto a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut loaf into 10 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise.
• Using your hands, gently mold each treat into a candy-corn shape.

EASY PISTACHIO-CRANBERRY NOUGAT

Steps:

• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray parchment and dust with milk powder. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and cook, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in milk powder, then cranberries and pistachios. Transfer to prepared pan, pressing or spreading to evenly fill. Lightly dust top with more milk powder. Let stand until set, at least 2 hours.
• Use overhangs to lift nougat out of pan. Cut as desired (we made strips slightly less than 1/2 inch wide, then cut them in half again to create about 4-by-3/4-by 1/2-inch pieces). Store between layers of parchment or waxed paper at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER CEREAL BARS

Steps:

• Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment. Lightly spray parchment. Place cereal in a large bowl. In a large pot, melt butter over medium. Add marshmallows, peanut butter, and salt and cook, stirring, until mixture is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir into cereal until combined. Let mixture cool slightly, 4 minutes (mixture should still be pliable), then stir in chocolate chips and peanuts. With a spatula (or your fingers) lightly coated with cooking spray, press into pan. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 20 minutes. Using parchment, lift from pan and cut into 12 bars.

CONFETTI SQUARES

Steps:

• Lightly spray a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add salt and marshmallows; stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies, Cap'n Crunch, and Froot Loops, and stir until combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. To prevent sticking, coat your hands with vegetable spray, and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Cut into 3-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.