How to Make Crispy Puffed Rice Treat Strawberries

Marshmallow rice treats are a time-honored favorite snack. With a little extra effort, you can take those treats and turn them into a snack that is delicious and decorative, by turning crispy puffed rice treats into mock strawberries.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 8 cups crisp or puffed rice cereal
• 1 bag marshmallows
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Waxed paper
• Clear plastic gloves
• red food coloring
• white granulated sugar
• plastic "strawberry tops" You can find these at your local bakery supply store.

Teach an Old Treat a New Trick

1. Over medium heat, melt butter, then add marshmallows until melted. Stir constantly. Add vanilla, mixing well.
2. As soon as marshmallows have melted into butter, add puffed rice cereal, being sure to get all the cereal coated with the marshmallow and butter mixture. Remove from heat. Let cool for five minutes.
3. Use a clear plastic glove to handle cereal mixture to avoid having it stick to your hands, or butter your hands well. Take about a walnut sized handful of cereal mix and shape into "strawberries."

I dip, you dip, we dip!

4. Plastic strawberry tops add a finishing touch! Mix two to three drops red food coloring into two cups white granulated sugar. If you want darker red for your berries, add two or three more drops red food coloring. Mix well.
5. Take the "strawberry" shaped cereal mix and dip immediately while still warm into red sugar.
6. Insert plastic strawberry top into each berry and let cool on waxed paper.
7. Wrap each "strawberry" in a square of plastic wrap and tie with green curling ribbon for an extra festive touch.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful while melting marshmallows that they do not scorch. Use medium to medium low heat.
• Use waxed paper to lay cereal on to cool.
• Use a clear plastic "lunch lady" glove to handle cereal mixture so it does not stick to your hands.
• Chop or grate real strawberries and add them to the cereal mix for extra flavor.
• Do not lay the cereal on foil, or it will stick and be very difficult to remove.
• Avoid burns: the marshmallow mixture is very hot and sticky, and will cling, causing more severe burns.
• Alternatives: dip each berry into melted chocolate or carob coating before dipping into red sugar.
• Use strawberry flavored gelatin mix instead of red sugar for added flavor.
• Do not use foil to cool berries or to wrap them. It will stick and be nearly impossible to remove.