If you are looking for a crunchy texture for your next dessert, make these perfectly crispy, caramelized puffed rice flakes! They work wonders on ice creams, in cereals or as a dessert topping!
Growing up, my favourite breakfast was Rice Krispies with cold milk and sugar. I loved the crunchy texture of the little flakes and the funny popping sound they made when milk was poured over.
So, you can imagine how excited I was, when I discovered how to make these caramelized puffed rice.
They are easy to make and can be used to spruce up any dessert! Tossed in sugar syrup and then caramelized in a pot until golden brown in colour, they are ready in less than 20 minutes!!
Sprinkle over your favourite ice creams, mousse like desserts, fruits or even hot chocolate, there are endless ways of using them! Similar to popcorn, we sometimes even snack on them! No wonder kids love them too!
The 3 ingredients you need
That's right, you only need only three ingredients to make this recipe:
Puffed Rice or better known as rice krispies, is the main ingredient that is easily available in supermarkets.
Sugar white caster sugar works best. But you could use honey or maple syrup however I haven't tried either yet.
Water to make the sugar syrup.
The steps
FIRST let's make the sugar syrup.
Measure the water and sugar and combine in a pot.
Bring to a simmer and reduce the mixture until you see the bubbles forming, getting smaller and smaller. Note, we are not making caramel so if your sugar syrup changes to an amber colour, stop right away because we don't want that!
Wait for the sugar-water mix to turn into a syrup. Swirl the mixture in the pan to check the consistency, it will be thicker than when you started, that's when you know it's ready to use!
SECOND, add this sugar syrup to the puffed rice.
Have a bowl with the puffed rice ready to go (weighed as per recipe).
Pour the sugar syrup over the top and mix well with a wooden spoon.
LASTLY, we caramelize the puffed rice. To do that, simply add the puffed rice in a wide pot or pan and place on medium heat.
Stir with a wooden spoon. You will see the sugar syrup on the rice starts melting and caramelizing in the pot.
This is the moment you constantly stir the puffed rice until it turns golden brown.
Have a cooling wire rack lined with a silpat or baking paper ready. Now, transfer the caramelized puffed rice onto it and within few minutes, it will be ready for snacking.
If you want to use the puffed rice to sprinkle over a dessert, its best to spread out the mixture when transferring from the pan to the silpat. Make sure you leave some space between the flakes.
But if you prefer a more chunky garnish, then you do not need to spread out the flakes too much. Leave them close, so that they stick to each other!
FAQ's
To keep them crispy, it is important to let them cool completely. Once cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You could also try adding a few grains of raw rice or silica packs to keep the moisture out.
You can double the recipe but I wouldn't go further than that. Rather make two batches to get a good result.
Unfortunately not. You might think it is but malt is used to make krispies, plus it contains barley.
Yes you can. There are many options for gluten free puffs. Most health stores keep quinoa, buckwheat or amaranth that work well.
Other flavours to add
While making the sugar syrup, you can add any flavour you like, preferably in the form of powder:
- cinnamon powder
- cocoa powder
- matcha powder
- cardamom powder
Other creative or rather adventurous options can be chilli, curry or five spice powder.
What to use them for
We sprinkled this crunchy garnish over our chocolate bavarian cream dessert (see picture below). Puffed rice is the perfect topping for not only desserts but also savoury dishes.
Here are some of our favourites, that we sprinkle on:
- chocolate mousse and coffee granita
- dulce de leche verrine with caramelized banana
- Ile flottante with vanilla sauce
- fig salad with balsamic dressing
- roasted pumpkin with miso
This puffed rice recipe is sure to be a hit with kids and adults! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Caramelized Puffed Rice
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- small pot
- wide heavy bottom pot or pan
- cooling wire rack
- silpat or baking paper
- wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 50 gram puffed rice (rice krispies)
- 50 gram caster sugar
- 150 millilitre water
Instructions
- Place the puffed rice in a bowl and set aside.
- In a small pot, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the sugar water until small bubbles form and the liquid has turned into a thick syrup (avoid the sugar syrup turning into caramel).
- Pour the sugar syrup over the puffed rice and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Add the puffed rice into a wide, heavy bottom pan and place on medium heat.
- The sugar on the rice will start melting and caramelizing in the pot. Keep stirring while the puffed rice slowly takes on a brownish colour.
- When the puffed rice has caramelized enough, transfer to a cooling wire rack lined with a silpat or baking paper.
- If you want to use it for sprinkles, spread out the rice leaving space between the flakes. But if you prefer a more chunky garnish, keep them close together so they stick to each other.
Sven
So crunchy delicious and easy to make.