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Six salted caramel rice bars on parchment with dark chocolate topping and flaky sea salt on a wooden board

Salted Caramel Rice Bars

No-bake puffed rice bars layered with brown butter caramel and finished with flaky sea salt. Ready in under 30 minutes, chills firm in an hour.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 185
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel Rice Base
  • 115 g unsalted butter cut into tablespoon pieces
  • 200 g dark brown sugar packed
  • 80 ml heavy cream room temperature
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup helps prevent crystallization
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 150 g puffed rice cereal about 5 cups, plain unfrosted
Topping
  • 100 g dark chocolate (70%) finely chopped, optional
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt Maldon or fleur de sel

Method
 

Prepare the Pan
  1. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy lifting. Lightly butter the parchment.
Make the Brown Butter Caramel
  1. Place butter in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the foam subsides and the milk solids turn amber and smell nutty.
  2. Add the dark brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir to combine, then cook undisturbed for 1 minute until the sugar begins to dissolve.
  3. Pour in the heavy cream carefully - it will bubble up. Stir constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the caramel thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reads 115 C / 240 F on a thermometer.
  4. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
Form the Bars
  1. Add puffed rice cereal to the saucepan and fold quickly with a silicone spatula until every piece is coated in caramel.
  2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press down firmly and evenly using a buttered spatula until the surface is flat and compact.
  3. If adding chocolate, melt the chopped dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Pour over the pressed rice layer and spread to the edges.
  4. Scatter flaky sea salt evenly over the top while the chocolate is still wet.
Chill and Slice
  1. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the caramel and chocolate are fully set.
  2. Lift the slab out using the parchment overhang. Place on a cutting board. Run a chef's knife under hot water, dry it, then cut into 16 bars with firm downward pressure.

Notes

If your caramel cools too fast and starts to firm up before you finish folding in the rice, return the pan to low heat for 30 seconds to loosen it. Work quickly once the rice goes in - caramel sets fast.