Sunday Baking: Ricies Slicies

Or, more commonly known in New Zealand as Rice Bubble Slice.

According to most of the recipes I found online, this is distinctly a Kiwi treat. But perhaps Australasian would be better - Kiwis and Aussies share a lot of culinary history (*cough* pavlova *cough*), and heck, I'm South African by birth, so what do I know?

But forget the politics, these are delicious treats. When I told Jono what I was baking, his eyes went large and shiny, and his response was nostalgic - "OH! I used to get that as a treat when I was a kid!". But I ask you, why should kids get all the fun? They're sweet, chewy but with a crispy texture, and you can add goodies. And you can't beat a recipe with added goodies now, can you?

4 C (250 ml size cups) of puffed rice
1/2 C Pebbles (Known elsewhere as Smarties), you could also go for Nerds, M&Ms, dried fruit, whatever you like
2 Tbsp honey
75 gr butter
100 gr brown or raw sugar

Place your rice bubbles and goodies in a bowl. Line a medium to large baking tray.

In a large pot, melt the butter, sugar and honey together. Bring to the boil for 3 minutes. It will look pretty ominous, they way it bubbles slowly away. Be careful, it will be hot!

After the three minutes worth of boiling the toffee will look nice and thick. Turn off the heat. Work quickly and pour the rice bubbles into the pan and stir quickly so each puff is coated in the sticky sauce. Immediately pour into your baking tray and push firmly down into an even thickness. I used the back of a spatula, and the rounded side of a spoon to help shape it into a square-ish shape, merely because I wanted to cut as-evenly-sized-pieces-as-possible later.

Leave to cool - about an hour. With a large and sharp knife, slice as large or small as you please, and store in an airtight container. They will be gone before they get a chance to get stale, I assure you.