Toasted Black Sesame Cereal Treats

I love black sesame flavored treats. Lovely flecks in scoops of ice cream or jet black filling inside mochi or a steamed bun. I’ve been on a cereal kick lately so I thought I’d experiment with them in cereal treats! The classic version is pretty sweet but adding the black sesame changes the flavor to this wonderfully nutty and crave-able treat that is not too sweet and dangerously difficult to stop eating!

Toasted Black Sesame Cereal Treats
Makes 16

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons raw black sesame seeds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
10 ounces marshmallows
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups crisped rice cereal

Directions:
Lightly grease a 9 x 9″ square baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.

In a skillet over medium low heat, add the black sesame seeds and spread in an even layer. Toast for 3-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and stir frequently until you can start to smell the aroma of the seeds. Immediately transfer to a small food processor. Add the sugar and blend until finely ground. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and blend till combined. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until completely melted. Immediately remove the pot from the heat. Add the black sesame paste and salt and stir till completely incorporated.

Add the cereal and with a silicone spatula, stir until evenly coated in marshmallow mixture. Pour into the baking dish and spread in an even layer. It will be a bit sticky so use a piece of wax paper or parchment to gently press down, just until it’s flat for a less dense cereal treat, and more pressure if you want more crisp, compact treats.

Let cool completely, about 20 minutes, before inverting from the pan. Cut into 16 squares. They’re best eaten the same day but you can store in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

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