Peanut Butter Fudge Starfish

This cute Peanut Butter Fudge Starfish served on a Rice Krispie Treat beach is easy to make for a beach-themed party or vacation.

This cute summertime dessert is made using my favorite easy microwave peanut butter fudge recipe. The fudge is made using peanut butter and white chocolate chips along with creamy peanut butter and a pinch of salt.

It's pourable when it's warm but firms up into a nice fudge so it's perfect for this edible craft project.

I used a large star-shaped sand mold to create this fudge starfish. I served it on top of a Rice Krispie Treat sheet covered with melted marshmallows topped with crushed crisp rice cereal that looks like sand.

Last July, I showed you how to turn homemade marshmallows into Starfish S'mores using a simple star-shaped cookie cutter. Then I showed you how to use one of those plastic sand molds that kids use at the beach to create marshmallow sea creatures.

The mold I used to make this fudge starfish was just a plain star so I got creative and added more peanut butter fudge on top and made it look scraggly.

To give it some character, I added eyes made of slices of marshmallow and Hershey's Kisses.

The fudge starfish looked really great all on its own, but when I decided to bring it to a pool party, I wanted the dessert to be more substantial, so I set it on a sandy beach made out of a Rice Krispies treat and added some homemade candy shells.

Everyone loved it. I hope you do too!

Peanut Butter Fudge Starfish 
          on a Rice Krispies Treat Sandy Beach (serves 16-20)

RELATED: Find dozens of easy fudge recipes at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com.

Ingredients

11 ounce bag Nestle Premier White Morsels (or white confectionery coating)*
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
pinch of salt
11 ounces Jif Creamy Peanut Butter (about 1 ¼ cups)
1 marshmallow
2 Hershey's Kisses

Rice Krispies Sandy Beach:
10 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal, divided
5 tablespoons butter
16 ounces marshmallows

Shimmering Candy Shells:
8 ounces candy melts, confectionery coating, almond bar, melting wafers, or Nestle Premier White Morsels
silk white luster dust

Supplies

star-shaped sand mold beach toy (clean with warm soapy water and dry thoroughly) or a starfish cake pan
baking sheet (12" x 18")
non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper
zip top bag
cutting board or cardboard cake board
sea shell candy mold
paintbrush (food only) or cotton ball

Nestle Toll House Premier W...Shop on Amazon REESE'S Peanut Butter Bakin...Shop on Amazon Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, 1...Shop on AmazonSilk White Luster DustShop on AmazonCK Products Assorted Deep S...Shop on AmazonStarfish Cake Pan - 11 x 11...Shop on Amazon

Instructions

Make peanut butter fudge.

Place white morsels or confectionery coating wafers and peanut butter chips in a microwave safe mixing bowl.

Heat on high power for 30-second increments, stirring after each until melted.

Stir in a pinch of salt and the creamy peanut butter.

Make sure to mix really well, scraping the bottom of the bowl. If you don't stir the peanut butter into the candy, you'll end up with clumps of hardened candy coating in your peanut butter fudge.

Fill the mold with fudge.

Fill your star-shaped sand mold with peanut butter fudge, reserving the excess. You can line the mold with plastic wrap if you are concerned about the plastic not being food-safe.

Tap the mold on the countertop to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. Freeze for about 30 minutes until set. Flip the mold over and press on the plastic mold.

The peanut butter fudge should pop right out. If it doesn't, put it back in the freezer for 5-10 more minutes. As you can see, the mold creates a smiley-faced star.

Spread more peanut butter fudge over the fudge star.

To add the texture to the star, you will need your reserved fudge to be thick like frosting, but not hard. If it has hardened too much, heat in the microwave for 10-second increments stirring after each.

Set your star-shaped fudge on a glass or bowl, lifting it up so you can work more easily.

Spread some fudge over top and around the sides of the star, reserving a few tablespoonfuls.

Make the starfish look spikey.

Press a spatula or knife into the fudge and pull up creating spikes.

If the fudge isn't thick enough to create spikes yet, allow it to harden a bit and try again.

Make spikes all over the top and sides of the star, adding fudge if needed.

Add some extra fudge to each star tip and allow to set up a bit. Create spikes around each tip.

You can add some character by curving the tips if you'd like.

Add eyes.

Cut a marshmallow into three round slices. Eat the center slice, or discard. Press the sticky side of the other two marshmallow slices onto the peanut butter fudge starfish.

Press one Hershey's Kiss into each marshmallow creating eyes.

Make a Rice Krispie Treat beach.

Line a large 12" x 18" baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.

Place 2 ½ cups Rice Krispies Treat Cereal into a large zip-top bag. Use your hands or a rolling pin or pan to smash the cereal into crumbs.

Melt marshmallows and butter in a large pot set over low heat. Remove and reserve ½ cup of the melted marshmallow mixture. Pour the remaining 8 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal into the pot and stir to combine. Spread onto the lined baking sheet. Press down into an even thickness.

Spread the reserved marshmallow mixture in an even layer over top of the cereal treats.

Sprinkle cereal crumbs over top. Press down on the crumbs making sure they adhere to the cereal treat bar. Allow it to set for at least an hour. Remove from pan and peel off foil. Set on a large cutting board or cake board.

Melt the white candy melts.

Melt the white candy melts in the microwave using 30-second bursts of high power, stirring after each until melted. For more detailed instructions, see my Chocolate Making Tips tutorial.

Make shimmering white chocolate shells.

Spoon candy coating into the cavities of a sea shell mold.

Freeze for 10 or so minutes until set.

Turn the mold upside down and allow the candy to drop out of the mold. You can help by twisting the mold and tapping it on the counter. If the candies don't release from the mold, return to the freezer for a few more minutes.

Allow candy shells to come to room temperature. Use a brush or a cotton ball to add a very light coating of silk white luster dust to your candies.

Decorate the Rice Krispie Treat Beach.

Set your peanut butter fudge starfish onto the sandy beach cereal treat bar. Add shells. If you need to transport this and want the starfish and shells more attached, spread a bit of peanut butter under your pieces to use as "glue."

This dessert can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days. If you don't have a container that is large enough, keep it wrapped in plastic wrap for a day or so.

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