Chocolate Crackles

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The last time my friend Jess came to visit me from Australia, I introduced her to Rice Krispies Treats. She in turn couldn’t wait to introduce me to Chocolate Crackles (like Rice Krispies Treats, the Chocolate Crackles recipe is on the back of the Rice Bubbles (what Kellogg’s calls Rice Krispies there) box. However, she said they could only be made with Copha, a refrigerated coconut shortening, or something equivalent. We did a bit of research and found that Crisco wouldn’t work, and Copha was nowhere to be found in the United States. I offered up this solid coconut oil I saw at my local grocery store, but Jess had her doubts, and Carly (another Aussie), suggested Palmin, the German equivalent to Copha. After more research, we located a place in LA that sold Palmin.

Chocolate Crackles

So earlier this week, Carly and I trekked down to Torrance (a good 30 minutes from Hollywood) to go to the market at Alpine Village (a German village/tourist attraction) to purchase the Palmin. Side note: we also stopped at King’s Hawaiian restaurant. HOT and FRESH King’s Hawaiian bread–YUM! Anyway, since we had to stop at the grocery to purchase Rice Krispies on the way home, I suggested we buy a container of the coconut oil and do a quarter test recipe with that as well.

What did we learn? Chocolate Crackles can now become an American sensation, because the coconut oil worked just as well, perhaps even better, than the Palmin. As for the crackles, they are super easy to make and absolutely delicious and remind me of Star Crunch or the 100 Grand candy bar, just without the caramel. I highly recommend making them NOW. Thank you Jess and Carly!

Photos of the process here.

Ingredients
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup shredded coconut, optional (I omitted this)
250 grams solid coconut oil (I used LouAna brand)

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, mix the Rice Krispies, powdered sugar, cocoa, and coconut (if using).
  2. Over low heat, melt the coconut oil in a saucepan and allow to cool slightly.
  3. Add to Rice Krispies mixture and stir until well combined.
  4. Spoon mixture into cupcake liners and refrigerate until firm.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. I’m not sure how many it’s supposed to make, but I used 12 regular cupcake liners. You could easily make them smaller and get 24, or use mini liners.

Recipe from my friend, but it’s all over the Internet as well.

Comments

16 Responses to “Chocolate Crackles”

    dawn on 1 January 9th, 2010 1:59 pm

    once I saw it has coconut in it, I turned on the printer. :::printing:::

    Rick on 2 January 9th, 2010 6:35 pm

    For a minute when I saw “Chocolate Crackles” in my RSS feed I thought the rest of the world had discovered them! But alas, you just know an Australian.

    I’ve never made them with coconut, but I can see that it would work (given the origin of Copha…)

    While they’re made with Copha here, I’d give my left leg to find something that didn’t give them the texture of candle wax.

    The crackles in your picture are surprisingly yellow. They’re normally very brown (chocolate brown, unsurprisingly).

    When I serve these, I also serve “White Chocolate Crackles” with them. I think the white ones taste even better, but the aesthetics of the two colors is nice!

    You need:
    * 2 cups rice bubbles
    * 1 cup milk powder
    * 1 cup icing sugar (you call it powdered sugar)
    * 100g white cooking chocolate
    * 200g Copha

    Mix the rice bubbles, milk powder and icing sugar

    Melt white chocolate in a double-boiler (or whatever method you want really .. leave it out in the sun .. just melt it!)

    Melt the Copha

    Pour chocolate over dry ingredients, then pour the Copha

    Mix it all up and spoon it into the cupcake liners.

    Refrigerate until set. Makes about 30.

    I think this is a similar recipe to what we call ‘White Christmas’ only the serving is as a cupcake rather than a slab cut into bars.

    Hilary on 3 January 9th, 2010 10:08 pm

    @Rick – I think the color difference has to do with either the cocoa or the powdered sugar. My friend said hers are darker too, but she also noticed a difference in the texture of the sugar. Who knows…

    Sarah on 4 January 10th, 2010 1:55 am

    Yum! I’ve only ever made these with plain old butter. Solid coconut oil sounds (and looks) much more appealing!

    Seanna Lea on 5 January 10th, 2010 4:49 pm

    Did the coconut oil give them a strong flavor of coconut? While I would happily eat them if they tasted of coconut, my husband would not. I certainly don’t need to eat a batch all by myself (even a small one).

    Hilary on 6 January 10th, 2010 6:42 pm

    @Seanna Lea – The coconut oil has no flavor. I absolutely HATE coconut so if they tasted the slight bit of coconut I wouldn’t have eaten them, trust me!

    Sweets at Vicky's on 7 January 12th, 2010 2:32 am

    These are my favourite when they’re cold! heh, almost like a decadent breakfast…:)

    Seanna Lea on 8 January 14th, 2010 11:37 am

    @Hillary That’s great to know. I will have to try them!

    maree on 9 March 15th, 2010 2:12 pm

    Hi there do you know the name of the place in Alpine Village or was that the name of the store. I am hankering for some chocolate crackles…….and also with the coconut oil, what was the brand etc ?

    thanks so much

    maree

    Carly on 10 March 15th, 2010 2:30 pm

    Hi,

    The brand of coconut oil is mentioned in the recipe. I would use it rather than go to alpine village as I am Australian and the brand above in the recipe is as good as copha.

    Happy Cooking.

    maree on 11 March 15th, 2010 2:45 pm

    you’ve made my day, i’m a sydney girl whose now been here 4 years and I need copha for chocolate caramel slice too……so now that’s 2 recipes I can make again……now if only Surfas would get vegemite in stock again my problems are over !…….except for tasty cheese. thanks Carly !

    Carly on 12 March 15th, 2010 3:59 pm

    There is actually a British store in Santa Monica that has Vegemite I think its called Ye Olde Kings Head

    CJ on 13 October 30th, 2010 11:21 am

    G’Day guys Im a Queenslander now living in Texas I was asked to bring something Australian to a birthday party. Nothing says birthday like cocolate crackels. PS the World Market chain of stores have lots of Australian products BBQ shapes, bundergurg ginger beer just to name some. Also http://www.allaboutaustralia.com located in San Antonio TX has a good selection of items too. Hoo roo CJ

    summar ann on 14 August 7th, 2011 4:23 pm

    thanks for this. i was surprised to see that everywhere i looked the suggested substitute for copha was crisco. i thought why can’t you just substitute coconut oil. just as i was about to just give it a try i saw you recipe. hooray!!! i can’t wait to give these a try. thanks again!

    Hilary on 15 August 10th, 2011 9:32 pm

    @summar ann – Let me know how they turn out!

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