Peanut Butter Cereal Slice with Brown Sugar Icing

This is one of those basic, homey (homely?) squares, the kind your friend's mom made for after school snacks. Strangely, they also sold something very similar to these at Blenz coffee shops for a few years. 

Here's your fancy ingredient list - Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, brown sugar, peanut butter, and corn syrup.

Half a cup each of brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat in a small saucepan on medium heat until sugar is melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Measure out 1 cup of peanut butter. 

Take syrup mixture off heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth and homogenous. 

Measure out 2 cups of corn flakes and 1.5 cups rice krispies into a large bowl.

Pour in the peanut butter mixture and combine well.

Pour into an 8X12 pan. If we were eating this at home I'd just use an plain, ungreased pan. But Ana and I are giving these as gifts and want to make tidy squares, so I lined the pan with parchment first.

Pack well and smooth down with the back of a metal spoon. Set aside to cool in the fridge while you make the icing. 

1/4 cup butter, a scant 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Melt together in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and bring to a boil.

Take off heat once it boils and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup icing sugar. Whisk well until smooth and creamy and no lumps of sugar remain. 

Pour over cooled squares.

And spread evenly.

Let icing set and cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Cereal Slice

1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups rice krispies

Icing

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (scant)
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt corn syrup and brown sugar together over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Combine cereals in large bowl. Pour warm peanut butter mixture into cereal and mix well. Pack into 8X12 inch pan. Set aside to cool.

Icing: Melt together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add milk and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and add icing sugar and vanilla. Beat well with a whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour over cooled bars and spread evenly. Cool to let icing set and cut into squares.