Mars-Bar-Crispy-Bars

Hello! Happy Friday. Thank you for your nice comments on my last post, I had fun taking those sparkler photos. And hello new followers and readers, it is lovely to have you here. Making and baking for Christmas gifts continues. I have an amazing list. I am so good at lists. I have about ten things that are in progress, the same number at the, ahem, "planning stage" and one finished gift, a doll for my niece. I am so pleased with how it turned out but I'll wait until I've made the second, for my other niece, before I show you. The are sister-dolls for sister-nieces. I fear I may have slightly over-egged the gift making - I hope you're not disappointed!

Anyway, here's some cake. I know you don't really need a recipe for crispy bars, but I thought they were so good, and a few of you asked, so...here it is. I'll hang my baking head in shame.

I used to hate crispy cakes. You know the sort - a handful of stale rice crispies covered in a mean amount of melted chocolate, and then dolloped into a little muffin or fairy cake case, and sold at fetes and fairs for 20p. Then I ate one of these, which is how they should always be made, and was converted. John and I pretend we make these for the children but we all know it's a lie. We probably eat most of them. Ludicrously easy to make, they are an excellent activity to do with small people when you want to "do baking" without actually baking anything. You need:

5 Mars Bars, although any sort of supermarket "Chewy Caramel Bar" will do just as well.

120 g or 4 oz butter.

150 g or 5 oz Rice Crispies. Again, "Rice Pops" or "Rice Snaps" will suffice.

50 g or 2 oz white chocolate.

Melt the Mars Bars and butter together in a large bowl. I do this in the microwave so use a bowl big enough to hold the Rice Crispies but small enough to fit inside. Give it a good stir - it will look a bit curdled and unappealing at this stage but have faith. Stir in the Rice Crispies.

Tip the mixture into a square baking tray (mine is 8" x 9" or 20 cm x 23 cm). Squish it into the corners and flatten it down with the back of a spoon. Give it an hour in the fridge to set. Melt the white chocolate and then drizzle this all over the top of the crispy mix. This is huge fun for adults and children alike, and I defy you not to want to have a go. Then put it back into the fridge for another half an hour.

I use a silicone baking tray for these. I usually loathe these floppy baking tins and avoid them, but have found that for anything you want to bake or refrigerate hard, then tip out and cut into pieces - like flapjacks, crispy bars or rocky roads - they are fantastic. The bendy sides make it so easy to tip out, and you don't need to grease or line them.

Cut into squares and eat.

The title of these bars is an issue. It's not very snappy, is it? But that's what we call them in this house. If you can think of a better one, do let me know. And have a lovely weekend.