Chocolate-dipped Rice Krispies Treats Lollipops

I realize that I’ve been sharing an onslaught of sweets posts in the last couple of months….the reason is actually going to sound strange: The Nikon has been broken sine before Christmas and, without it, I can’t seem to get a decent picture of any of the savory dishes I’ve been making. Believe me, a poorly-lit, fuzzy looking snapshot of stew or chili or sandwiches or steaks looks incredibly unappetizing. So I’ve been self-censoring.

Luckily….the Nikon just came back from the hospital today. So, hopefully she’ll be up and ready to snap some sexy dinner pics ASAP.

Meanwhile though, you get one last happy, sort-of-not-terrible-looking, sweet treat photo: Chocolate-Dipped Rice Krispies Treats Lollipops!

This is an idea I’ve been toying with for awhile and finally go around to trying them out. We took them to a Superbowl party a few weeks ago (yeah, I’m behind) and I brought a few to co-workers. Judging by the reactions these recieved, I think they were a hit.

When I started out, I’d had a grand vision of using homemade marshmallow cream instead of store-bought mallows for this recipe. I actually made them that way too but, frankly, I wouldn’t bother doing it again. There wasn’t any noticeable added flavor to the end treats and the homemade marshmallow recipe I used made the cereal just the tiniest bit soggy. So, if you do these at home, I suggest sticking to the recipe on the side of the box. From there, follow these instructions to create your lollipops:

Then, instead of dumping the mixture into a pan, I used a trigger ice-cream scoop, which in culinary school we call a parisienne (ooh, la la!), sprayed with cooking spray to form the pops. Just get a heaping scoop of the cereal/marshmallow mixture and use your hand to smash it tightly into the scooper. Use the trigger to plop the treat out onto a sheet of waxed paper. Then insert your lollipop stick. You’ll want to pinch the marshmallow mixture to form/adhere to the stick to keep the lollipop secure. Repeat with the rest of your rice krispies mixture. Note: I kept a small bowl of lukewarm water and a clean paper towel nearby to occassionally clean the marshmallow goop off of the scooper. Then just spritz a bit more cooking spray into it and continue.

Once all of your lollipops are formed, leave them to set for about 30 minutes. When the pops are firm, melt your white chocolate (or regular if you prefer) in the microwave following the instructions on the bag. Gently dip the top half of each pop in chocolate, hold it there for about 5 seconds to let the extra chocolate drip off, then return to the wax paper. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Wait for the chocolate to set completely…then enjoy.

P.S. Random side note and shameless self-promotion. JiT and I have put our condo up for sale. If you or anyone you know is looking for a great loft-style 1 br, 1.5 ba with lots of light and convenient access to Wicker Park and Downtown, check it out here. (Commercial over).