Everybody loves an easy square or bar to make that does not require careful watching as it bakes in the oven and that does not have to be frosted. Sweet Marie Bars fit nicely in that category. Taking only a few very basic ingredients, the result is one delectable treat that often finds its way on to sweet trays, particularly at Christmas.
Sweet Marie Bars have made their way into my picnic basket on more than one occasion since they are more like candy, in my opinion, than what we traditionally think of as squares or cookie bars.
This bar recipe has been around for a long time and is known by names other than Sweet Marie Bars. The core ingredients do not tend to change though the quantities may and, sometimes, the bars are iced with traditional frosting. I have seen them called Peanut Krispie Bars and a variation called Scotheroos that call for some butterscotch chips. There are probably other names for these bars and their variation(s). Regardless what they are called, they are one delectable treat any time of the year!
½ cup peanut butter ½ cup golden corn syrup ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 tbsp butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate pieces or squares ¼ cup peanut butter 2 tsp butter
Method:
Line a 9”x9” square baking pan with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray (or grease with butter).
Stir the crispy rice cereal and salted peanuts together in a large heat-proof bowl (e.g., glass or stainless steel). Set aside.
In medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan placed over low heat, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter. Stir until mixture is blended and heated. Do not boil.
Remove saucepan from heat and pour mixture over the cereal and peanut mixture. Stir to mix. Press mixture into prepared baking pan.
For topping, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, a few seconds at a time. When chocolate is about half melted, stir in the peanut butter and butter. Continue to microwave in short bursts of seconds until chocolate is melted. Pour the topping over the square in pan and smooth with a knife or small flat metal spatula. Let cool completely to room temperature before lifting square from pan and cutting it into squares or bars of desired size. Square may cut out better if cooled square has been placed in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Easy-to-make no-bake bars that combine peanut butter and crispy rice cereal into a base topped with melted chocolate and peanut butter.
Course Snack
Keyword bars, nobake bars, nobake squares, Sweet Marie Bars
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
2cupscrispy rice cereal (e.g., Rice Krispies)
¾cupsalted peanuts
½cuppeanut butter
½cupgolden corn syrup
½cupbrown sugar, packed
1tbspbutter
8ozsemi-sweet chocolate pieces or squares
¼cuppeanut butter
2tspbutter
Instructions
Line a 9”x9” square baking pan with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray (or grease with butter).
Stir the crispy rice cereal and salted peanuts together in a large heat-proof bowl (e.g., glass or stainless steel). Set aside.
In medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan placed over low heat, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter. Stir until mixture is blended and heated. Do not boil.
Remove saucepan from heat and pour mixture over the cereal and peanut mixture. Stir to mix. Press mixture into prepared baking pan.
For topping, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, a few seconds at a time. When chocolate is about half melted, stir in the peanut butter and butter. Continue to microwave in short bursts of seconds until chocolate is melted. Pour the topping over the square in pan and smooth with a knife or small flat metal spatula. Let cool completely to room temperature before lifting square from pan and cutting it into squares or bars of desired size. Square may cut out better if cooled square has been placed in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Yield:One (1) 9” pan of squares/bars
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Summer just would not be summer without ice cream and what better way to enjoy it than to combine two of the season’s best flavors – strawberry and rhubarb – into homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream!
I have been making ice cream for a long time. I have an electric churn that has been in the family for probably close to 50 years. I keep thinking that, one of these days, I will have the custard made and the motor will give out on the churn. But, amazingly, it always works! It’s not fancy but it does the job. There are various types and styles of ice cream makers on the market today but I like my old faithful electric churn. It may look rusty on the outside from all the contact it has had over many years with rock salt that sloshes around with ice in the bucket but the canister is in perfect condition and the churn still makes great smooth ice cream!
Electric Ice Cream Maker
It usually takes about 20-25 minutes for the ice cream to churn. The ice cream will come out of the canister quite soft textured but placing it in the deep freeze for about 3 hours will result in it firming up very well.
Homemade Churned Ice Cream
I use the traditional custard method for making ice cream. It’s amazing how such basic, simple ingredients can turn out such a delectable treat. Milk/cream, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla form the standard base for the custard and then other flavorings may be added.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream
The trick to making homemade ice cream is to use the good stuff! Yes, the real cream, whipping cream, and whole milk. This will give the custard the rich base and the ice cream its smooth texture. While granulated sugar can be used, my preference is to use the super-fine caster sugar as there is no grit at all to it. I always make my custard the night before I churn the ice cream and place it in the refrigerator overnight as it gives the flavors time to develop as they “mix and mingle” and the custard needs to be very cold to start the churning. In fact, I put the churn canister and beaters in the freezer for an hour or so before churning so they are cold as well.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream
One ingredient I add to this particular ice cream recipe is strawberry balsamic vinegar – yes, vinegar goes in this recipe but not just any vinegar and not a lot of it. One tablespoon of high quality strawberry balsamic will deepen and enhance the strawberry flavor and, no, it will not leave a lingering vinegar taste in the ice cream. If you have rose water, the addition of just 1 1/2 teaspoons will give a hint of floral flavor. Don’t over-do the rose water or it will start to taste like perfume. All this small addition is doing is adding a subtle layer of flavoring.
Use the freshest ingredients you can – i.e., make this ice cream when the local rhubarb and strawberries are available as they have the best flavor.
Fresh From the Field PEI Strawberries
Choose the reddest stalks of rhubarb you can find. This recipe does not call for any artificial food coloring (and I don’t use any) so the pink color comes naturally from the red rhubarb and strawberries. Each batch I make has a slightly different tint of pink to it depending on the quality of the strawberries and rhubarb.
Rhubarb
I recommend reading through the recipe a couple of times before starting to make the ice cream to organize the prep work and to be sure you have all the required ingredients and understand the method and the sequence for preparing the ingredients.
I have made this Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream both rippled (shown in the photo at the beginning of this posting) using some of the strawberry-rhubarb purée to weave through the ice cream and plain (shown in the ice cream cones in the photo below) where I incorporate all of the purée into the custard. The ice cream is good either way. This homemade ice cream freezes rock solid hard so I recommend removing it from the freezer 7-10 minutes before using as, otherwise, it will be difficult to scoop.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Plain (no rippling/marbling)
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream makes a great sundae, especially if you drizzle it with crushed strawberries or strawberry-rhubarb sauce.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Sundae
And, it makes dandy milkshakes. Simply combine 3 scoops of the strawberry rhubarb ice cream in a blender with 1/4 cup milk per serving. Blend until smooth and serve in fancy tall glasses with colorful straws and a strawberry garnish.
Strawberry Rhubarb Milkshake
Oh, this is a special treat on a hot summer day!
Strawberry Rhubarb Milkshake
Homemade ice cream sandwiches are also a wonderful summer treat. I use my gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies for these sandwiches because they are a lovely soft-textured cookie.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwiches
For these sandwiches, freeze the ice cream in a 9×13 baking pan lined with tin foil. Fill the pan with the ice cream to a depth of 3/4″ to 1″ thick. Place in freezer for a couple of hours then remove the ice cream from the pan and cut round circles of the ice cream with a cookie cutter that is slightly smaller than the cookie size.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwiches
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Strawberry Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream
Ingredients:
10 oz strawberries, chopped 1 tbsp strawberry balsamic vinegar (optional but recommended) 3 tbsp caster sugar 1½ tsp rose water (optional)
1 lb rhubarb, chopped 2 tbsp orange juice 2 tbsp water 3 tbsp caster sugar
1 cup whipping cream (36%) 1 cup half-and-half or coffee cream (at least 18%) 1 cup whole milk Scant ¾ cup caster sugar 4 extra-large egg yolks 1/8 tsp fine sea salt 2 tsp vanilla
Method:
Place chopped strawberries in small bowl and sprinkle with 3 tbsp caster sugar, balsamic vinegar, and rose water. Set aside.
Place chopped rhubarb in small saucepan and add the 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tbsp water and 3 tbsp caster sugar. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until rhubarb is softened. Remove from heat and strain through medium mesh wire sieve. Reserve the rhubarb pulp and transfer to heat-proof bowl.
Return the strained rhubarb juice to saucepan and cook over medium heat until juice is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Pour the syrup over the reserved rhubarb pulp. Let cool to room temperature.
Transfer the strawberries and cooled rhubarb mixture to a blender and purée until very smooth. Strain mixture through medium mesh sieve, squeezing as much juice as possible out of the rhubarb by gently pressing it down with the back of a spoon. This should yield approximately 2⅔ – 3 cups purée. Discard any remaining pulp. Cool strained mixture in refrigerator.
In heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring whipping cream, half-and-half, and whole milk to the scalding point (small bubbles should start to appear around the edges of the mixture) – 180°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Do not boil. Transfer mixture to top of double boiler.
In bottom of double boiler, bring about 2” of water to the simmer point (around 200°F). Maintain the water at this simmer point over medium-low heat. Place top of double boiler containing the milk over the simmering water.
In bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together until pale and creamy. Gradually add about ¾ cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to blend well. Pour the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk mixture in top of double boiler, whisking continuously. Cook over the simmering water, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wood spoon or reaches a temperature of 175°F on a candy thermometer. Do not allow mixture to boil.
Set large clean bowl in a sink of cold water filled to about half the depth of the bowl. Pour the custard mixture through a wire sieve into the bowl to remove any bits of egg that may have coagulated. Stir in the vanilla.
Set aside about ½ cup of the puréed strawberry-rhubarb mixture and whisk the remaining puréed fruit mixture into the custard until it is well blended. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or more (can be chilled overnight and up to 24 hours).
Churn custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer about a third of the ice cream to an airtight freezer container. Drizzle half of the reserved purée over the ice cream. Repeat the process with another layer of ice cream and purée and ending with a layer of the ice cream. With the thin blade of a knife, or using a wooden skewer, swirl the purée through the ice cream to incorporate it in a marble effect. Do not overmix or the ripple/marble effect will be lost. Cover container tightly and allow ice cream to freeze for at least 3 hours, or until very firm, before serving.
Yield: Apx. 1 quart
Note 1: This ice cream will freeze rock solid hard. Recommend removing ice cream from freezer 7-10 minutes before serving. Note 2: This ice cream may be made without the rippling effect. Simply incorporate all of the strawberry-rhubarb purée into the custard instead of reserving ½ cup for the rippling/marbling.
Delectable old-fashioned homemade ice cream combines two of summer's best flavors - strawberry and rhubarb.
Ingredients
10 oz strawberries, chopped
1 tbsp strawberry balsamic vinegar (optional but recommended)
3 tbsp caster sugar
1½ tsp rose water (optional)
1 lb rhubarb, chopped
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 cup whipping cream (36%)
1 cup half-and-half or coffee cream (at least 18%)
1 cup whole milk
Scant ¾ cup caster sugar
4 extra-large egg yolks
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Place chopped strawberries in small bowl and sprinkle with 3 tbsp caster sugar, balsamic vinegar, and rose water. Set aside.
Place chopped rhubarb in small saucepan and add the 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tbsp water and 3 tbsp caster sugar. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until rhubarb is softened. Remove from heat and strain through medium mesh wire sieve. Reserve the rhubarb pulp and transfer to heat-proof bowl.
Return the strained rhubarb juice to saucepan and cook over medium heat until juice is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Pour the syrup over the reserved rhubarb pulp. Let cool to room temperature.
Transfer the strawberries and cooled rhubarb mixture to a blender and purée until very smooth. Strain mixture through medium mesh sieve, squeezing as much juice as possible out of the rhubarb by gently pressing it down with the back of a spoon. This should yield approximately 2 2/3 – 3 cups purée. Discard any remaining pulp. Cool strained mixture in refrigerator.
In heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring whipping cream, half-and-half, and whole milk to the scalding point (small bubbles should start to appear around the edges of the mixture) - 180°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Do not boil. Transfer mixture to top of double boiler.
In bottom of double boiler, bring about 2” of water to the simmer point (around 200°F). Maintain the water at this simmer point over medium-low heat. Place top of double boiler containing the milk over the simmering water.
In bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together until pale and creamy. Gradually add about ¾ cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to blend well. Pour the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk mixture in top of double boiler, whisking continuously. Cook over the simmering water, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wood spoon or reaches a temperature of 175°F on a candy thermometer. Do not allow mixture to boil.
Set large clean bowl in a sink of cold water filled to about half the depth of the bowl. Pour the custard mixture through a wire sieve into the bowl to remove any bits of egg that may have coagulated. Stir in the vanilla.
Set aside about ½ cup of the puréed strawberry-rhubarb mixture and whisk the remaining puréed fruit mixture into the custard until it is well blended. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or more (can be chilled overnight and up to 24 hours).
Churn custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer about a third of the ice cream to an airtight freezer container. Drizzle half of the reserved purée over the ice cream. Repeat the process with another layer of ice cream and purée and ending with a layer of the ice cream. With the thin blade of a knife, or using a wooden skewer, swirl the purée through the ice cream to incorporate it in a marble effect. Do not overmix or the ripple/marble effect will be lost. Cover container tightly and allow ice cream to freeze for at least 3 hours, or until very firm, before serving.
Notes
Note 1: This ice cream will freeze rock solid hard. Recommend removing ice cream from freezer 7-10 minutes before serving.
Note 2: This ice cream may be made without the rippling effect. Simply incorporate all of the strawberry-rhubarb purée into the custard instead of reserving ½ cup for the rippling/marbling.
One of the quintessential summertime treats would have to be popsicles! They’re cool and refreshing and there are so many flavor combinations.
The one thing I find about homemade popsicles is that it is difficult to get them to freeze rock hard like the commercial varieties. One method I use is to add unflavored gelatin to the mix. While it won’t freeze as hard as store-bought ones which probably have all kinds of stabilizers added to them, adding gelatin does extend the life of the popsicles a wee bit before they melt. It also helps to hold the ingredients together.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Summertime Treats
One of my favorite flavor combos is strawberry and rhubarb. I use rhubarb juice (made from cooking the rhubarb and extracting its juice) in a lot of recipes, including this one.
To make this an adult treat, try serving the popsicle in a wine glass and adding a sparkling or rosé wine such as pinot noir rosé.
Strawberry Rhubarb Popsicles
Combining two great summer flavors, these are the perfect treat to cool off with this season.
Homemade Popsicles
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Strawberry Rhubarb Popsicles
Ingredients: ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup water
4½ cups rhubarb, chopped into ½” pieces (apx. 1 lb. 2 oz) 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 cup water
4½ oz strawberries 2 tbsp granulated sugar ½ tbsp strawberry balsamic vinegar Dash salt ½ tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp Epicure Summer Berry Dip Mix (optional)
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice ¼ cup boiling water
1/3-cup popsicle molds (enough for 9-10 popsicles)
Method:
In small saucepan, combine the first amount of sugar and water to make a simple syrup. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
After simple syrup has cooled, cook the rhubarb and second amount of sugar in 1 cup water for about 7-10 minutes or until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp. This should yield approximately 1½ cups rhubarb juice.
Purée the strawberries and stir in 2 tbsp sugar.
Dissolve the gelatin in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice. Add ¼ cup boiling water. Stir 1-2 minutes until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
In large measuring cup, combine the simple syrup, rhubarb juice, puréed strawberries, strawberry balsamic vinegar, salt, lemon juice, Summer Berry Dip Mix (optional), and gelatin. Stir well. Distribute mixture evenly between 9-10 popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks and covers that came with the popsicle molds and place in freezer to freeze completely. If using wooden popsicle sticks, freeze the mixture for approximately 1 hours until thick and slushy, then insert the wooden sticks and return popsicles to freezer to freeze completely.
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice
¼ cup boiling water
Instructions
In small saucepan, combine the first amount of sugar and water to make a simple syrup. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
After simple syrup has cooled, cook the rhubarb and second amount of sugar in 1 cup water for about 7-10 minutes or until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp. This should yield approximately 1½ cups rhubarb juice.
Purée the strawberries and stir in 2 tbsp sugar.
Dissolve the gelatin in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice. Add ¼ cup boiling water. Stir 1-2 minutes until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
In large measuring cup, combine the simple syrup, rhubarb juice, puréed strawberries, strawberry balsamic vinegar, salt, lemon juice, Summer Berry Dip Mix (optional), and gelatin. Stir well. Distribute mixture evenly between 9-10 popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks and covers that came with the popsicle molds and place in freezer to freeze completely. If using wooden popsicle sticks, freeze the mixture for approximately 1 hours until thick and slushy, then insert the wooden sticks and return popsicles to freezer to freeze completely.
