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Emigrated from America to New Zealand and never looked back. Couldn't have asked for a better husband, family & life!

RICE BUBBLE AND DATE TREATS
(aka RICE BUBBLE & DATE SLICE)


I believe it was Christmas Eve and I was next door for morning tea when Linda offered me a goodie from a plate of sinful options. My first taste was of a rice bubble slice (rice crispie treat) that Keri had made. Now, I have always been fond of the many crispie treats made with this cereal…the standard made with butter and marshmallow crème, the peanut butter varieties (with and without chocolate chips) and of course the cocoa version…but this one was even better than all of those combined (yes, honestly) so I just had to add this to my personal cookbook/recipe collection. I will admit though, that if I had known prior to tasting it that dates were a primary ingredient, I may have opted to try something else instead, as I am not usually one to go for dried fruits. I was VERY impressed, as you can see.

After having Keri write the recipe down for me, I stashed it away in my special recipe collection for the right opportunity to make it. These are a perfect snack to go with a cold glass of milk or even coffee or tea. They are quite sweet, but also flavourful because of the fruit content…beautiful!!!

This weekend we are attending a barbecue with some friends and, of course, wanted to bring something. Well, The host and hostess seem to have all of the main stuff taken care of (bbq meats, salads, devilled eggs, and even a few dessert options already), so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to share samples of Keri’s recipe.

One observation to note, is that in the beginning you start out with a pale yellow mixture. By the time this mixture is cooked and ready to remove from the heat, the colour has changed to a caramel brown and will have become very thick and gooey.

The flavour is sort of a caramel/butter toffee type of thing and the dates really just fall apart, so there is no need to chop them up ahead of time unless you REALLY want to!

Here’s how to make THE BEST rice bubble/rice crispie treats around!!!



INGREDIENTS:

1½ Cups Sugar
200 Gms (7oz) Butter
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Pinch Salt
3 Cups Whole Pitted Dates
6 Cups Ricies (Rice Crispies/Rice Bubbles)


DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, whisk the sugar and eggs together then, continue stirring over medium heat.

Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended and the butter is fully melted and incorporated into the sugar and egg mixture.

Next, add the vanilla and salt and, when those are well incorporated, add the dates. The dates will automatically break down in the cooking process so no chopping is really necessary unless you prefer to cut them up first.


Now bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thick & brown. Watch it carefully to prevent sticking and/or burning.

Cool the mixture for 5-10 minutes then add rice bubbles and mix until the rie bubbles are all well coated and everything is well combined.

Now, carefully tip out the mixture into a rectangle baking dish or aluminium tin about 13 x 9 inches or 30 x 25 centimetres.

Once completely cooled, cut into squares and it’s ready to eat.

This is especially sweet too, so have a glass of milk at the ready! This is quite a tasty snack and it is inexpensive to make. The squares are great for sharing at a party or taking to a friend’s place in exchange for a cup of tea. This is especially good for a quick & easy option for a school bring-along dish as well.

Cheers again Keri…



7 Thoughts & Remarks:

Unknown said...

rice bubbles, love it! i've made this kind of treats before, but they've gone soft quite easily. i don't know what was gone wrong. perhaps, i shall try yours.

Jennifer said...

I am not a fan of dates but this sounds great. You have come a long way woman, I remember you bringing a can of fruit cocktail for a fruit salad, LOL

NuKiwi said...

Cheeky - Don't think that was me, my friend...I HATE pre-made fruit cocktails!!! Ever since I was a kid getting some in my lunchbox - BLECK!!!

I always liked to cook, probably because my Mom didn't. I learned alot from my Grama and Dad. I was making the world's best lasagne at age 12 for crimeny sakes woman! I was never a box mix, tin can, unwrap it and go type of gal really. ;o)

Joie de vivre said...

A fabulous way to sneak fruit into a picky eaters diet!

NuKiwi said...

That's not to say I don't EVER use box mixes or tin cans, mind you... LOL

Lael Meidal said...

If I were in the mood for rice bubble/rice crispie treats, this is definitely what I'd go for...I love dates!

But, actually, this comment is more about you than this particular recipe...

I just read your story on EscapeFromAmerica Magazine and am impressed/inspired. My family moved to Auckland when I was four years old and lived there till I was eight. Then we moved to Bellingham, Washington, where I lived until I headed off to college. Now that I'm (finally) nearing graduation, I'm dreaming of making NZ home again. I have friends and connections there but am wondering if this is too ambitious of a plan. And, from reading about your process, I understand it's not just about wanting but about actually being granted permission. So, I'll continue to explore it in the next few months. But I'd love to be able to email you more specific questions if that's OK. Can we get in touch? Thank you!

MrsDesperate said...

Hi there,
I'm an Aussie living in Auckland and blogging about it!
Found your blog by mistake and I love it.
This rice bubble slice looks exactly like one my Nana used to make for us when we were kids. She died before I was able to get the recipe, and I've looked everywhere for one like it (and experimented myself) without success. I want to make it for my kids, as one has a life-threatening nut allergy, so I make my own snack bars etc for school.
Thanks so much for sharing, I can't wait to try it!