The sun shines on the pool filled with children splashing and screaming cheers of joy as the adults lie poolside with their tall glasses of lemonade. Meanwhile, the stash of various firecrackers and fireworks is waiting to be lit. It’s midsummer on July 4th and what are you bringing to the party this year? I’ve got a cool new homemade party favors idea for you: Chocolate-Covered 4th of July Rice Crispy Treats. Be the talk of the party and whip up a batch of these tasty treats.
They are an improvement on the traditional crispy rice squares that you are used to. They look a lot like decorated sugar cookies, except that they are covered in different colored white chocolate. I made mine with the shapes of the American flag, stars, eagles and the Statue of Liberty and created designs in red, white and blue with the stars and stripes of the flag, the messages of July 4 and other simple drawings . To add to the presentation of the eagle treats, I lined their outer edges with golden sugar pearls. You can package each treat in cellophane bags and tie them with ribbons or just pack them in airtight plastic containers. How about crispy rice lollipop treats? Just put in lollipop sticks. Help the bars adhere better to the treats by making a hole in the bottom of the treats and inserting melted white chocolate first, then immediately insert the bars. The chocolate will harden and act like glue.
Interested in making a batch of 4th of July Rice Crispy Treats? First start with a standard recipe for crispy rice treats. Press prepared cereal mix into a sided baking sheet then place the tray in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Decorating with chocolate can be difficult as it dries fast and overheating can ruin it, but I have a great system to make your life easier and make your treats look great. I fill sauce bottles with melted chocolate and draw the designs with them. To create multiple layers or to implore many different colors, I decorate one section at a time, let the chocolate set, and redo the next section or layer of color. I find it easier to draw the design on paper first so I know what to create before I begin. I also attach candies to the treats as decorative details like golden sugar pearls on the edges. The trickiest part of working with chocolate is keeping it hot and melted. That’s why I keep the bottles in glasses partially filled with warm water. These glasses go in a large pot also partially filled with water that is placed on a single burner near my work area. You should have an organized work station. All ingredients should be poured into bowls and you should have empty baking sheets or cookie sheets in which to place the finished treats. You can place a treat on a saucer and decorate them one at a time or decorate many at a time simply by keeping them on the baking sheet and completing a full pass on all the candies and then coming back to do the next step for all the candies. .
Test it. These are one-of-a-kind treats with some unique ingredients not seen in many crispy rice treats. I guarantee that many people will like them. Don’t be surprised if some of your friends or family ask you to make some for them.