Caramel Fudge Rice Krispie Treats

   More Rice Krispie square recipes anyone? O.k! :)  
   These particular treats are round like the Mint Chocolate treats I made. Again, I just think making them round is different and pretty, and make them seem a smidge more fancy (aka-you can bring them to a Christmas party with adults and not feel like the child bringing Rice Krispie treats!). 
   These rounds are the basic treats, but the top is drizzled with the easiest homemade fudge ever! P.S., if you make a bigger batch of the fudge you can pour it into a greased and parchment lined baking dish to use as an extra Christmas treat to keep or give away. 

Caramel Fudge Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

For the Rounds:

• 1/4 Cup butter
• 4 Cups mini marshmallows, or about 40 large marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 5 cups Rice Krispie cereal 

For the Fudge:

• 1/4 can (from a 300 mL can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
  
• 1/2 cups well-packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

* Use 1 can of the sweet milk, 2 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of butter to make a full batch of fudge. Look here for instructions on that and scroll down for a photo of the fudge


Method:

1. If you plan to make these into squares, then grease a 9x13 baking pan with spray and line with parchment paper with overhang handles and set aside. If you want to roll them into circles, spray a large sheet of parchment paper and set aside. 
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the mallows and melt, stirring often, until you've got a nice melty mallow and butter mixture
3. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and stir.
4. Add the Rice Krispie cereal and stir  until the cereal is coated.
5. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and press into the pan with lightly greased hands, then place into fridge to cool. Or dump the mixture out onto the prepared parchment paper and move it out until it's oblong. Bring the sides of the parchment up around the rice krispie treat, and roll into a log. Place parchment wrapped log into the freezer (seam side down) to cool               *The squares can go into the fridge because you don't need to cut them before adding the fudge, but you need to cut the log into rounds before adding the fudge, so it needs to cool faster. Just in case you were wondering why one was going in the fridge and the other in the freezer! 
6. While that is cooling prepare the fudge for the drizzle:
7. Put all 3 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes. You can also do this on the stove, though if you're making a larger batch to make some extra fudge, making it on the stove doesn't always work out for some reason that I can't figure out. Just a fair-square warning! 
8. Let the fudge mixture cool slightly (5 minutes or so).
9. While it's cooling, take your roll out of the freezer or squares out of the fridge. Un-wrap the log, and slice into 1 inch rounds and place onto a piece of wax or parchment paper on the counter (feel free to use the parchment you just had the log wrapper in!). If making squares, no need to cut them just yet.
10. Now that the fudge has cooled, beat the mixture with a hand mixer for 5 minutes (it will start to really thicken as it whips and cools).
11. Once it's whipped and ready, take a spoon and scoop up some fudge, and from a good height, drizzle the fudge over the rounds (or squares still in the pan!). I am literally the worst drizzler, just puttin' that out there. You will have a little extra fudge (well, I did anyway), so I just pour it onto a plate and let it set and we ate it strait up!
12. Let the fudge set, and you're ready to rock and roll! Oh, if you made this in a pan, you've got to remove the square from the pan and cut them, but I feel like I didn't have to mention that and you would have figured it out on your own. :)  

The fudgey topping in it's true form as fudge! :)

   These treats last for a few weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, though the fudge gets "spotty" (it dries out slightly). They can also be frozen, but again, you get the spotty look from the fudge. I can assure you though, the spotty look doesn't effect the taste at all!
   Anyway, Monday people, I hope you have a good day, and are looking forward to a new week!