need some help. I am turning the center of my Wilton Cupcake Stand into a cocount tree -- want to use Rice Krispie treats to form the coconut tree...

Question: When should I do this with the treats -- right after making them when they are warm or after they are cooled...

haven't made these in a while and am having trouble conceptualizing this in my head -- I think warm they wouldn't stick into shape but maybe cool they won't mold...

help....

Lisanne

P.S. If you care, the theme I am matching is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - a childrens book that has the alphabet climbing a coconut tree...the center of the stand will be the coconut tree and the cupcakes will each have a letter on top to represent the letters climbing....

In my pics I have a cake with a gold tooth on it (dh graduated from dental school) and it was made with rice krispies covered in fondant. I had to wait till they cooled and even then i had to go back and keep forming them/pushing them in place but once they were fairly set I used candy melts to act as mortar to keep them in the place I wanted.

I would try it warm - maybe let them cool just a little bit, but so they are still sticky - and then maybe wrap some wax paper around it to hold it in place while it sets? I haven't done much with krispie treats other than carve them. Sounds like a cute idea!

Have you watched Duff in 'Ace of Cakes' on the Food Network? Holy cow, he makes TONS of stuff out of Rice Krispie Treats! I was amazed at all he did. Here I was, thinking all this time that everything had to be made out of cake! Who made THAT rule?

I know that this is lcottington's thread and apologies if this is a bit off the track but I am curious about rice krispie treats we don't get the food network here - what do they do with them on there and if you use them instead of cake do you put buttercream or ganache or something between them and the fondant?

When I made my tooth I did put a layer of buttercream down first in an attempt to get the area a bit smoother since rice krispies aren't perfectly smooth, then I put my fondant on. I used the krispies b/c I thought itwould be much easier than trying to bake a separate sturdy pound cake then try to carve it!

From what I saw on the show, they literally grabbed them w/ both hands, and started smooshing, cutting, and molding the RKTs into the shapes they wanted. Then covered w/ bc, then fondant. They used them to make the legs, tail, and other parts of a huge German Sheppard cake, as well as a tequila bottle shape that laid on top of a sheet cake. It was very interesting!

Do you use the RKT recipe on the box or do you adjust it for molding purposes?

I have been wondering about the RKT thing too. I have seen a lot of people make the lid for the treasure chest cake. I am just confused as to how you get it smooth. do you use a knife to carve/cut it after it has set to get it smoother? I would just think the RKT's would be all bumpy even with buttercream and fondant. There must be a trick because they always look pretty smooth.

I would imagine you could cut it after it 'set up'. As for smoothness, I'm just thinking that a sort of 'crumb coat' of bc would work, but instead of super thin, use it more like spackle so that the little dips and holes get filled in. Then let that set up like you would a crumb coat, then cover w/ fondant, or I guess even w/ bc but I've never seen it w/ bc.

I think that is such a cute idea . My dd loved that story as a baby and once in awhile I still sing some of the verse to her when she is cranky.

Anyway, I would do it while they are a touch warm still. I think it would be easier to mold them.

I don't have any suggestions..but I got to tell y'all, YOU GUYS ROCK! I thought I was going to have to write Ol' Ace of Cakes himself to find out about the rice krispy treats. Should have known better. Y'all have answers and suggestions for EVERYTHING!! . I'll be making a "family tree cake" and using RKT's for the top of the trunk to put the branch's (gumpaste wrapped around skewers). This of course is on paper..let's see how reality treats me..lol. Thanks for always being there for me! Now y'all can get back to the thread, just wanted to share

I saw that ace of cakes! brilliant for molding. but, i would think the buyers would have to be warned, if they are expecting to cut into cake and its rkt. LOL. i will have to try it. but, my rkt always suck. rock hard. i'd hate to do that to any of my customers! LOL LOL LOL

What I had in mind is to use the rkt for the very top of the cake and use modeling choc. to cover and let the children eat it...I think they'd love it! I think I need some practice with making the rkt...been awhile hope mine turn out ok! Any suggestions on making rkt's more pliable and not so hard would be greatly appreciated!

ditto. my rkt can be used as government class weapons! LOL. like little rocks/missles that would do great damage!

I was just googling Rice Krispy treats and found this: Gotta try it! I'll post the link. It should be called everything you ever wanted to know about Rice Krispy treats. Wish me luck!
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=104

I made a shirt and a tie out of RK treats for Father's day. I molded the tie and the collar. To do this I wait until the treats were still warm, but not sticky. If you wait to long the marshmallows set up too much. I then frosted it with buttercream. They were yummy. The picture is on my other computer. I will post it when I can get to it.

Has anyone used the pre-made RKT? Or, is it easier to make your own?

The top of the Bumble's head from his upper lip up, is rkt
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1893343
I pressed them into a stainless steel mixing bowl the same size as the layer cake below it. Under the blue mask was iced with bc.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1866118

Oscar the Grouch's head is shaped with rkt as are his shoulders. While the rkt was still warm, I started shaping into the shape I wanted him. I pushed indentation for eyes, which shaped the depth of his face. As the rkt's cold, I kept going back to them to keep the shape. I think after about 30 minutes, they have set enough to hold the shape, but if the form is large, I would keep checking.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1928863
The coffee cup is rkt. I mixed a small batch (half batch), sprayed my favorite mug with pam and pressed the rkt into the mug. I firmly pressed it in. They came right out when inverted. I changed my mind about the shape. I was going to make a mug, but didn't have time for a fondant/gumpaste handle to set up. I went with the 'take out' cup instead.
After rkt dried, I iced with buttercream, inverted shape bottom side up, and covered with mmf. I finished fondant details and warmed some chocolate ganache and poured for 'coffee'.

It's not all that difficult. I mix my rkt according to package. I add some white chocolate and it seems to help hold the shape.

I hope this helps....

I always use the premade. They seem to be more sturdy for me. I tried the homemade ones, and they were too soft. . I just made a rollerskate out of them and for the two boxes of 8 it cost 4 dollars. By the time I would have purchased the ingredients for the homemade ones and made them, it would have been more. Good luck and the idea sounds really cute.

I use the premade too and if you want them smooth you have to beat them up a little bit. If you're making a cone for example roll it on the counter with a lot of pressure.
The spongbob cake in my pics using RKT for the characters and the pinapple. The pink guy I iced well in buttercream because I wanted him smooth. Sponge bob I iced lightly because I wanted him bumpy. In this cake I did not cover any of the characters in fondant but I have for other figures.

Hello Kitty head is pre made RKT. After forming it I covered it with candy melts and as the melts hardened, I smoothed it with a spatula as best as I could. After refrigerating it for an hour I smoothed it with my hands. The warmth of my hands smoothed it out very well. Then 1 last dunk in white candy melts for the final coat. The holds it together and the cereal inside is not rock hard.
http://cakecentral.com//gallery/1919280

Thank you all for the feedback... this will be my first time using RKT. I'm attempting to make a boot for a cake topper and felt this may be the best to use.

FYI: the last time I used RKT it set too hard to fast for me. I put it in the microwave for 5 or 10 seconds (I can't quite remember how long, but I do know it was a very short time) and it softened up again.

i like to crush my rice krispies before i make the treats- not pulverized, but just banged up a bit by a wooden spoon in a bag- in order to give a smoother finish. also, i usually make the rkt into a solid rectangle, let them set, and carve the shape out of it. i've found this makes for an extra smooth surface and little room for mistakes in symmetry. hth!

Hi i live in the uk, any idea where i can buy rkt's i want to sculpt a dinosaur
for a little boyd birthday cake HELP !!!!!! please

teeney, I too am from the uk and i think after researching this very same thing now, as i have just volunteered to make a star wars cake, and r2d2 is the selected theme! i am now thinking that using rkt is going to be the best way rather than carving cake! - that rkt is rice crispy chew bars that can be brought from supermarkets in the chew bar section! this forum page has been a great help to me, thankyou all, as i would not of known where to start with doing this before reading this, now i am feeling a little confident about making him!!!! if anyone can give me any tips that would be great, and also how long in advance can i make him hes not needed until the 22nd april. but im thinking im going to be doing a few of these before im happy with the finished product! cheers again

I use the premade little debbie RCT. I usually only need a pretty small amount and they are under $2 for a box. They are a little stiffer than the real RCT brand. So they hold really well. When I come across a cake that would use more than the box I will make my own... until then premade it is!

Hi Thanks for your reply, i managed to make my own treats with marshmallows butter and rice krispies, i carved it into the dinosaur, head and legs, i did it 3 weeks before the cake was needed in case it didnt turn out, but it was great, good luck with your star wars cake, thanks Christine.

I finely grind up about 1/3 of the krispies before adding them. It gives a good finish, not perfect, but good. You have to use a little more krispies when doing this though, so beware and don't forget you need extra!