One of our favorite desserts here at the ranch is arroz con leche, which is one of our comfort foods. As remote and isolated as we feel sometimes, it is also a strange comfort to know that anywhere in the wide world we visit, arroz con leche (or rice pudding) is a favorite dessert for many other families also.
But arroz con leche not the easiest dessert to travel with, or take to a picnic. And you can’t send a batch to your son at college. The parcel delivery person would have a mess on their hands. And shoes.
So I came up with these crispy bars that travel well, and can be easily shared. I took some to work, where someone commented “Hey, these are good!” Well, of course.
Creamy, crispy and spicy, these Arroz con Leche Bars might just be your new family’s new favorite!
Using a sheet of parchment paper takes the mess out of pressing the crispy mixture into your dish.
The white chocolate cools quickly, so work fast!
Using a rubber spatula, spread the melted white chocolate evenly across the top of the crispy mixture.
Sprinkle the Arroz con Leche Bars with ground cinnamon for the finishing touch!
Crispy Arroz con Leche Bars (Crispy Rice Pudding Bars)
A delicious interpretation of a classic Latin American dessert!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: Makes 24 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Latin Inspired
Ingredients
- 10 oz. mini marshmallows (283gr)
- 3 tbsp. butter (42gr)
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal (150gr)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (10ml)
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (4gr)
- 12 oz. white chocolate morsels (340gr)
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare a 9” x 9” x 2” baking dish by coating the inside with butter or food spray. Set aside.
- Place the marshmallows and butter in a large microwavable mixing bowl. Place in the microwave, and cook for 1 minute on high heat. Remove the bowl from the microwave, stir the ingredients, and return to the microwave to cook for 30 more seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave, and add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine well, then add the crispy rice cereal. Stir quickly to combine before the marshmallows cool too much.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared baking pan. Using a piece of parchment paper under your hand, press the sticky mixture into the pan so that it is compressed and even in thickness.
- Meanwhile, pour the white chocolate morsels into a separate microwavable bowl. Heat in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave, stir, then return to the microwave for 30 more seconds. Pour the melted morsels over the top of the pan of crispy rice bars, and spread evenly. Dust lightly with cinnamon, and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Using a spatula, pry the entire crispy rice cake out of the pan. Carefully cut into bars using a serrated bread knife.
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