Orange Creamsicle Buddies

Five Little Chefs – Orange Creamsicle Buddies

This week I was reading food blogs and decided to choose a few I thought they would enjoy. I then showed the Little Chefs the pictures and asked if they wanted to make any they saw. One of the sites was Cooking Classy where we found Orange Creamsicle Buddies.  After explaining what they were to Little Chef D she was very intrigued how the orange got “into the cereal.” No matter how many times and different ways I explained it she still was perplexed. But, she was ready to figure it out!
Little Chef A was the first one to jump when I asked who wanted to zest the orange. She was almost through with the first orange when she said, “my arms are getting tired.” Little Chef C was very nice to offer to zest the second orange. I LOVE that microplane!

Little Chefs C and D worked together to measure the cereal into the biggest bowl we had.

They also measured out the ingredients for what we called the “sauce.” Anything that is mixed and poured over something else seems to be called a sauce.

Little Chef A, because she is the tallest, microwaved the “sauce.” I did not think she was paying that much attention to the cooking because by this time Little Chefs C and D were finished with their jobs and were at the counter playing a computer game. Little Chef A was bouncing back and forth between the timer on the microwave to stir and watching the game. She was committed to getting her job done while not missing out on the fun!

 

As soon as the “sauce” was finished Little Chef A poured it over the cereal and mixed it together.  We are still working on our stirring technique. She still just wants to stir the top part and leave the bottom alone. She said it smells and looks so good I wish I could taste it but I know it isn’t done. I said let me tell you a secret…when you make it you can taste it whenever you want! You bet she tasted it as quickly as she could get one in her mouth!

The mixture was then poured into a ziploc bag, which was quite tricky, even with the both of us working together! Only a few escaped to the counter for tasting!

The recipe has a variation, it can be left uncooked, or after the sauce is mixed into the cereal it can be baked. We decided to do an experiment and bake half and see which one we like better.

Unbaked (left), Baked (right)

Little Chef H gave her stamp of approval! She wanted more then I wanted to give her!  The adults (not just those who live here!) decided we liked the uncooked version better. It was chewier and sweeter. The cooked was crunchy and th
e orange was strong at the beginning and did not linger like the uncooked version. The Little Chefs loved both types. I know we will be making this one again and again!

Linking to:
Todays Creative Blog

Orange Creamsicle Buddies
Yields 8 cups

Ingredients:
8 cups Rice Chex Cereal
1 1/2 cups white vanilla baking chips
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbsp orange zest (this is the zest of about 1 1/2 large oranges)
1 tsp orange extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


Directions:
Measure 8 cups Rice Chex Cereal into a very large mixing bowl, set aside.  In a microwave safe mixing bowl, combine vanilla baking chips, butter, cream and orange zest.  Microwave mixture on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring with a fork after each interval, until melted and smooth.  Stir in orange extract.  Pour mixture over Chex Cereal and gently toss mixture with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.  Pour coated cereal into a 2 gallon ziploc bag, add powdered sugar and seal bag.  Shake mixture until evenly coated with powdered sugar.  
For a crispier version: preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Divide prepared Orange Creamsicle Buddies in an even layer among two cookie sheets and bake 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking.  Allow to cool and store mixture in an airtight container.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy