Rice Krispies Christmas Trees Food

CHRISTMAS RICE KRISPIES® TREES

Steps:

• Mix crispy rice cereal, cranberries, and apricots together in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine and set aside.
• Combine orange zest and juice, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook until butter is melted and stir to combine. Add marshmallows all at once; cook, stirring constantly, until fully melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Quickly pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal mixture and toss to combine, making sure cereal is thoroughly coated.
• Lightly butter or oil clean hands and a 1/3 cup measure. Scoop out 1/3 cup of the cereal mixture and press firmly into a tree shape. Flatten the bottom of the tree and set aside. Continue making trees, re-buttering your hands as needed, until all the mixture is used up. Allow trees to cool and harden for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Cut whole apricots into star shapes, using a sharp paring knife or small cookie cutter. Set the scraps aside for extra decoration. Chop dried cranberries for extra decoration.
• Combine white chocolate and butter in a small heat-proof bowl. Microwave until chocolate is melted, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine. Pour white chocolate into a piping bag.
• Pipe white chocolate into decorative patterns all over the trees, covering the very tops to adhere the apricot stars. Use remaining white chocolate to adhere extra chopped apricots and cranberries as desired. Reheat chocolate in the microwave for 10 seconds if it begins to harden. Allow chocolate to fully harden on the trees before serving.

CHRISTMAS TREE RICE KRISPIES TREATS®

Steps:

• Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 45 sec. or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to evenly coat. Microwave 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 sec. Stir in food coloring.
• Add cereal; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with sprinkles; press gently into cereal mixture to secure. Refrigerate 15 min.
• Remove cereal mixture from pan. Cut lengthwise in half to form 2 long rectangles, then cut each rectangle diagonally into 6 triangles to resemble Christmas trees. Press 2 scrap pieces from ends of each rectangle together to make additional tree. (You will have 14 trees.)
• Press confetti star into top of each tree. Insert pretzels into bottoms of trees for the trunks.