Make eclipse-themed treats: Chocolate moon pies, spacey Rice Krispies treats and more
The total solar eclipse on April 8 will be a rare celestial phenomenon and the last of its kind visible from the contiguous United States until 2044, according to NASA.
What better way to celebrate the event than with out-of-this-world treats? Chef Judy Joo, author and host of "Korean Food Made Simple," created these treats, including spacey Rice Krispies treats and eclipse chocolate moon pies for "Good Morning America."
Joo shared two creative ideas to make these even more festive by cutting the Rice Krispies treats into galaxy shapes (stars, moons, sun) and decorating or cutting the whoopie pies to match different stages of the eclipse.
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Spacey Rice Krispies Treats
Makes 16 pieces
Ingredients
1/2 cup salted butter, high quality (plus more for greasing)
12 ounces mini marshmallows
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies brand cereal
1/4 cup silver and white star and moon galaxy sprinkles
2 cups white chocolate
Pink food coloring
Blue food coloring
Directions
Butter (you can also use a nonstick baking spray) a 10-inch square nonstick baking pan.
Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
In a large pot placed over medium heat, melt the butter until the milk solids just start to appear. Mix well while melting to prevent browning of the milk solids.
Add vanilla extract. Add marshmallows and reduce the heat to very low. Mixing constantly using a spatula so you can scrape the bottom to prevent sticking, melt all of the marshmallows, until slightly lumpy.
Turn off the heat and add the Rice Krispies. Fold in the cereal until well coated and pour into the prepare baking pan. Press the cereal down into the pan until flat. You can coat your fingers with a little butter and use them to press down the Rice Krispies evenly.
Let it cool completely. Using galaxy-shaped cookie cutters (moons, stars, planets, etc), cut out shapes and set aside on the lined tray with parchment paper.
Place the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl and melt in the microwave in 15 second intervals, mixing between each session until fully melted and smooth. You do not want it to burn. Pour about half of the melted chocolate into another bowl and place 1 or 2 drops of pink food coloring in one and blue in the other. Mix well, add another drop if necessary to make the color the shade you prefer.
Drizzle the chocolate over the Rice Krispies treats generously in a Jackson Pollock style and then immediately top with the sprinkles.
What you need
Eclipse Chocolate Moon Pies
Makes about 12 small pies or 6 large ones
Ingredients
For the cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons fine salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
For the filling
13 tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
9 ounces marshmallow fluff
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups gold and silver galaxy sprinkles
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together to mix well and remove any lumps.
Using a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place in the butter and brown sugar in the bowl, and cream together until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed, and add the egg and vanilla extract and beat together more. Slowly add about a quarter of the flour mixture, and then about a quarter of the buttermilk, beating together well after each addition. Repeat until all of the flour mixture and the buttermilk is gone.
Scoop the batter out using a cookie scooper. If making small pies, use about 1.5 tablespoons of batter, and make about 24 mounds, about 3 inches apart. If making larger ones, use about 1/4 cup of batter and make 12 mounds, about 5 inches apart.
Bake about 8-10 minutes if making small pies. Bake about 13-15 minutes if making large pies. Rotate the sheet pan(s) midway through baking.
Bake until the pies are puffy, springy when touched and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Once done, allow to cool on the pan completely.
To make the filling, fill the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment with the butter and sugar, and cream on high together until light and fluffy. Add the marshmallow fluff and coconut extract. Beat together until combined. Taste and add more sugar, if you like. Chill the mixture for about 30 mins to stiffen up a bit and then place into piping bags.
Pipe the filling on to one side of each pie and close with another pie. Repeat until all of the pies have been filled.
Tip the sprinkles out on to a deep plate and roll the sides of the whoopie pies in the sprinkles, pressing down gently to make them stick well.
Leave the cookie halves whole to create an asteroid shape. (This is optional!)
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the different phases of the eclipse and use a knife for the half eclipse. Serve!
These may be store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tip and tricks
Feel free to substitute any extracts for either the pie or the filings. Use peppermint, vanilla, almond, coffee, etc.
Fillings can be butter cream, frosting, cream cheese frosting, plain marshmallow fluff, or even just plain whipped cream or peanut butter and jelly!
Feel free to use any kind of star and moon or galaxy sprinkles. There are so many to choose from.
What you need
New York Eclipse Black and White Cookies
Makes about a dozen cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup full fat Greek yogurt or full fat sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 large eggs
For the glaze
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Orange food coloring
For the eclipse decoration
Dark chocolate royal icing
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare two sheet trays lined with parchment or a silpat. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter and sugar in the bowl and mix on high until light and fluffy. Add in the yogurt, heavy cream, vanilla, almond extract and eggs, and beat well until fully incorporated. Lower the speed and add in the flour mixture slowly until fully incorporated. A thick batter will form.
Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, place mounds of the batter about 4 inches apart on the lined baking trays. Bake about 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway through, until cookies are puffed up, edges are slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow to cool on the trays completely. Remove carefully with a flat spatula.
To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Add a bit of hot water if necessary to thin it out a bit. Add 1-2 drops of the orange food coloring and mix until desired color, adding more coloring if you like.
Spread on the cookies, completely covering the tops. This is the sun aura.
Once dried, place the dark chocolate royal icing in a piping bag, and pipe out different phases of the moon eclipse up to totality with just the halo of the orange sun behind.
Serve immediately.
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