When I initially went to work on these no bake bites I was having quite the rough week. My daughter was sick with a severe cold and I had caught the dreaded bug myself. I spent many hours wiping boogies, picking up spit out food, and changing sweat soaked, vapor rub scented pj’s. If I managed to get her to sleep for longer than a few minutes without waking up in a coughing fit or needing consolation, I had to work on my 20 pounds of homework I had waiting for me each week to figure out how to complete. Since my focus had obviously been everywhere else but the blog, I needed another quick fix and what could be more quick than something you do not have to bake.
These bites are perfect for mommy’s/daddy’s and all the worker bees out there who simply do not have the time or energy to make anything elaborate. My no bake crispy date bites come together quick (only 5 minutes of cook time on the stove) and taste like they have had hours spent on them in a confectionery getting the flavor and texture just right. Everyone that sampled these tasty treats thought they had been slaved over and they were shocked to find out these dainty treats were practically as simple as the traditional back of the box Rice Krispie favorite. These really are a simple treat that can be made to give kids after school or as an additional treat at a holiday table or office party.
Being as this recipe is a quick one I will also keep my discussion about it brief. The following recipe prepares about 3 dozen bites, which is adequate for entertaining or munching over several days. The bites should be stored at room temperature and kept for no longer than three days.
Note: When toasting the nuts be sure to stir them frequently to prevent them from burning. Also please be sure that the date mixture does not reach a rapid boil as you may risk curdling the eggs.
NO BAKE CRISPY DATE BITES
Ingredients:
- 8 tbsp. (1 stick) Unsalted Butter
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Chopped Dates
- 1 Egg; lightly beaten
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- ½ cup Pecans; toasted & chopped
Formula:
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sugar, dates, egg, and salt to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla, Rice Krispies, and pecans until the mixture is well incorporated (there should be no areas of dry cereal pieces). Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the mixture has cooled it is time to shape them into bite size portions. Grab a portion of the mixture and shape it into a 1-inch ball. Transfer the shaped ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the mixture has been shaped into bite size portions. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the bites until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM: PAMELA GRAHAM
PHOTOGRAPHY & STAGING: PETER MENDOROS
Honeybee's Patisserie 