The

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August 6, 2008

Decadence, Thy Name is Chocolate Rice Krispie Ice Cream Sandwiches

There are certain foods that place human health at risk. Typically, in this regard, we think of rancid meat or old cheese. Indeed, those foods do put human health at risk. Yet, the most dangerous foods are those that are often categorized as decadent.

It might seem sensible to think of food that is rotting when using the term decadent. What is meant here is, instead, food that might prompt someone to succumb to something they know to be worthy of some measure of guilt.

This is the class of foods commonly known as dessert. These are foods that are, by every other measure, unnecessary. A person has already sated their appetite, and something sweet comes as an exclamation point at the end to celebrate the better things of life.

Our celebration here starts, as do so many things, with a healthy breakfast . . . food. Cereal, to be exact. To be specific, puffed rice. Rumor has it that some might recognize this as something called Rice Krispies.

You will place this cereal off to the side, for it will be important in a few moments. Instead, turn your attention to a saucepan in which you will melt butter and stir in marshmallows over a gentle heat.

Many of you will recognize where this is going. In the future, we see the Rice Krispies treat, which combines marshmallows melted in butter with dry cereal. Stir both together when the marshmallows are melted.

Once you have created the mass that would otherwise be Rice Krispies treats, do not turn the heat off. You will need it.

Fill a pot with water, and in another, smaller pan place some chocolate. Gently heat the water, which will in turn heat and eventually melt the chocolate. Were you to be writing a novel, this is what they would call foreshadowing.

Take your Rice Krispies blob, and spread it out nice and thin. If you have experience with these things, that will make them only half as thick as normal. We see soon where this leads us.

Once they have solidified, cut them into even-sized pieces. Perhaps you think it is now time to launch into decadence. This is not the case.

Instead, lay half the treats on wax paper. We now bring out a surprise . . . chocolate ice cream. Allow to soften to the point where you can ladle the ice cream on top of the Rice Krispie treats. Now, place on top of the ice cream the other half of the treats.

We have one more step. Once the chocolate is just melted, but not entirely hot, pour it over what to you should now be evident as ice cream sandwiches. This will seal things together in a nice, neat little package.

The final step is to place the wax paper, holding aloft the ice cream sandwiches, into the freezer for a few minutes, until the chocolate is hardened and the ice cream has again solidified.

Now, you begin your descent into decadence.

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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