Rice Cereal Treats for the Birds

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Permalink Reply by Eileen S on April 11, 2011 at 2:59pm

Were they home-made treats or store-bought treats?  I've found that the store-bought ones are firmer and hold their shape better, especially if you compress them really tight when forming your shape.  I don't know about high heat and humidity.  I do know that if you keep them in the fridge after you form them they will get super-hard.  They soften up as they warm up.

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Permalink Reply by Julie S on April 11, 2011 at 11:02pm

They were homemade and kept in the fridge. It was 87 degrees here in the NC Great Smoky Mountains Sunday, and I figure that is where the problem began. Not to mention that most homes around here, including mine , do not have central AC. Thank you so much for the tip on the store bought treats. I will certainly keep that in mind for the next one.

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Permalink Reply by Gail Forshee on April 16, 2011 at 8:17pm

I have been told to cover the treats with melted chocolate and they would hold their shape.  I made a mickey mouse and minnie mouse with the treats and the ears kept falling apart.  I think it was the weight, plus having a popcicle stick in them.  Covered them with chocolate and no problem!  You can also use the disks you get at Michaels.  Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Julie S on April 16, 2011 at 9:03pm

Thank you Gail! That is a great idea! Now I'm not so intimidated to try them again.

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Permalink Reply by Sharon on April 17, 2011 at 5:16pm

I agree with Paul.  I use the regular rice Krispie recipe but omit the butter, and if I find it to loose I will add extra rice krispies to it and really compress it and it let it sit and let it harden before decorating it. 

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Permalink Reply by Julie S on April 20, 2011 at 11:44am

Thank you Paul and Sharon. I will be sure to omit the butter next time.

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Permalink Reply by mama B on April 20, 2011 at 3:33pm

i have this problem to 

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Permalink Reply by Julie S on April 21, 2011 at 11:41pm

Thank you Margi. Beautiful cake.
Margi Chambers said:

I make rice cereal treats days ahead so they can settle. Mash them down to compress. Then I brush them with white chocolate and it seals them.  I don't use butter and I don't put them in the fridge because they gather moisture and when they come out the sweat and get sticky. But for turrets on my castles I use paper towel rolls and ice cream cones. I have also made the treats and poured melted chocolate coating into them and modeled with that.

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Becker on April 28, 2011 at 6:24pm

I find the store-bought RKTs to be way softer than mine, and I even add butter.  But I add extra cereal (just my preference - even for snacking and not cake decorating).  So, no butter according to others, and add more cereal seems to b e the way to go.

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Permalink Reply by Melinda King on April 28, 2011 at 6:50pm

If I make them I try to make them ahead of time, and once I get them in the pan i put another pan on top and add something with weight to compress them. It can be as easy as setting a bowl full of water in the top pan. Compression is a big key.

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