Sandy Cereal Treat Beach Topped With a Peanut Butter Starfish and Shimmering White Chocolate Shells.

Create a rice krispies treat beach then top it with a creamy peanut butter fudge starfish, made using a beach toy, then add candy shells to complete the look. 

Step 1: A Great Dessert for Any Summer Party.

Step 2: Make the Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients: 

11 ounce bag Nestle Premier White Morsels (or white confectionery coating)
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
pinch of salt
11 ounces Jif Creamy Peanut Butter (about 1 1/4 cups)

Place white morsels or confectionery coating wafers and peanut butter chips in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds. Remove and stir the chips around or they will burn. Heat for 20 more seconds, then stir. Heat for 15 seconds. Then let it sit in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, then stir vigorously. If all of the chips are not melted, heat at ten second intervals, stirring in between each, until completely melted. If you don't have a microwave, you can melt this in a double boiler. Once melted, stir in peanut butter and salt.


Make sure to mix really well, scraping the bottom of the bowl. If you don't stir the peanut butter into the candy, you'll end up with clumps of hardened candy coating in your peanut butter fudge.

Step 3: Create Your Starfish

You will need 1 plastic star mold. (I used a beach toy, sand mold and washed it in hot soapy water before using. You can line it with plastic wrap if you prefer.)

Fill your star shaped sand mold with peanut butter fudge, reserving the excess. Tap the mold on the counter top to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. Freeze for about 30 minutes until set. Flip mold over and press on the plastic mold. The peanut butter fudge should pop right out. If it doesn't, put it back in the freezer for 5-10 more minutes. As you can see, the mold creates a smiley faced star.

Step 4: Add More Fudge

To add the texture to the star, you will need your reserved fudge to be thick like frosting, but not hard. If it has hardened too much, heat in the microwave for 10 second increments stirring after each. Set your star shaped fudge on a glass or bowl, lifting it up so you can work more easily. Spread some fudge over top and around the sides of the star, reserving a few tablespoonfuls.

Step 5: Add Texture

Press a spatula or knife into the fudge and pull up creating spikes. If fudge isn't thick enough to create spikes yet, allow it to harden a bit and try again. Make spikes all over the top and sides of the star, adding fudge if needed.

Step 6: Create Starfish Points

Add some extra fudge to each star tip and allow to set up a bit. Create spikes around each tip. You can add some character by curving the tips, if you'd like.

Step 7: Add Eyes

Decorations needed:

1 marshmallow
2 Hershey's Kisses

Cut a marshmallow into three round slices. Eat the center slice, or discard. Press the sticky side of the other two marshmallow slices onto the peanut butter fudge starfish. Press one Hershey's Kiss into each marshmallow creating eyes.

Step 8: Make a Rice Krispies Treat Beach

Ingredients:

10 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal, divided
5 tablespoons butter
16 ounces marshmallows

Line a large 12" x 18" baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.

Place 2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Treat Cereal into a large zip top bag. Use your hands or a rolling pin or pan to smash the cereal into crumbs.

Melt marshmallows and butter in a large pot set over low heat. Remove and reserve 1/2 cup of the melted marshmallow mixture. Pour remaining 8 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal into the pot and stir to combine. Spread onto the lined baking sheet. Press down into an even thickness. Spread the reserved marshmallow mixture in an even layer over top of the cereal treats. Sprinkle cereal crumbs over top. Press down on the crumbs making sure they adhere to the cereal treat bar. Allow it to set for at least an hour. Remove from pan and peel off foil. Set on a large cutting board or cake board.

Step 9: Make Candy Shells for Your Beach

Ingredients:

8 ounces white confectionery coating/candy melts or Nestle Premier White Morsels
silk white luster dust

Supplies:

sea shell candy mold
cotton ball or paint brush (food only brush)

Instructions:

Place white confectionery coating wafers or morsels in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat on high power for 25 seconds. Remove and stir the chips around or they will burn. Heat for 20 more seconds, then stir. Heat for 10 seconds, then stir vigorously. If all of the candy is not melted, heat at ten second intervals, stirring in between each, until completely melted. If you don't have a microwave, you can melt this in a double boiler. For more detailed instructions, see my Chocolate Making Tips tutorial.

Spoon candy coating into the cavities of a sea shell mold. Freeze for 10 or so minutes until set. Turn the mold upside down and allow the candy to drop out of the mold. You can help by twisting the mold and tapping it on the counter. If the candies don't release from the mold, return to the freezer for a few more minutes.

Allow candy shells to come to room temperature. Use a brush or a cotton ball to add a very light coating of silk white luster dust to your candies.

Step 10: Decorate Your Sandy Beach

Set your peanut butter fudge starfish onto the sandy beach cereal treat bar. Add shells. If you need to transport this and want the starfish and shells more attached, spread a bit of peanut butter under your pieces to use as "glue."


This dessert can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days. If you don't have a container that is large enough, keep it wrapped in plastic wrap for a day or so.