Salted Brown Butter Krispy Treats

from Smitten Kitchen
via Karen Lonergan

makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1 by 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don't take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. But make sure it is truly browned.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, butif it is not, turn it back onlow until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in half the salt and all the cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan and sprinkle with the other half of the salt. I like to use a piece of waxedor parchment paper that I've sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and comers, though a silicon spatula works almostas well.

Let cool, cut into squares and get ready to make new friends.

What's different about these? Oh just a bit more (double) butter, which you toast until it is brown and nutty and helped along with coarse salt. Just minor things but it changes everything!

Smitten Kitchen is a blog about fearless cooking from a tiny kitchen in New York City.