Mars bar slice
Mars bar slice is an easy no bake traybake kids will love. With only five ingredients it’s the perfect introduction to cooking for little chefs.
Scottish Mars bar slice or Mars Bar cake is a bake I remember from my childhood here in the UK. I can’t remember making it, but I do remember eating it. There’s nothing healthy about it but if you want something really easy to make with your kids then this is a great option. It’s a no bake traybake which means once you’ve melted the mars bars and butter (and you can do this in the mircrowave so there’s no need to use your cooker) you just need to stir it together with the Rice Krispies and leave it to set. What could be simpler?!
The Mars bars we get in the UK (and I believe most of the world) have chocolate, caramel and nougat in them and I think all that extra yumminess makes these super naughty but so so good. In the USA, the equivalent chocolate bar to use to get all the deliciousness is a Milky Way.
How can kids help make the Mars Bar slice?
As a no bake traybake, this is a really easy treat for kids to make. As well as measuring out the Rice Crispies and other ingredients, they’ll be able to help melt the Mars Bars and butter before mixing it all together. You can melt the Mars bar in your microwave if you have one, so you don’t need to use your cooker if you don’t want to which is ideal for little kids.
Once your kids have mixed the ingredients together they can help pat it all into your traybake tin, pushing it in to all the corners. Then it’s a simple job of leaving it to set.
How many Mars bars should I use?
Mars bars, or in the USA Milky Ways, come in all different sizes. We used 4 of the ‘normal’ sized ones you’ll find in the sweet counter of your local shop. If you have larger or smaller ones, just make sure the total amount comes to at least 200g so you don’t miss out on any of the delicious gooiness.
Butter or margarine?
For something like this easy traybake you can use either butter or margarine. We’ll tend to use whatever we have more of in the fridge, but both work just as well.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15 minutes plus chilling
Serves: 15
Ingredients
50g (1/4 cup) butter/margarine
1 tbsp golden syrup
4 regular (UK) sized mars bars (approx 200g)
3 cups Rice Crispies/rice bubbles (about 60g)
250g (1 1/2 cups) milk chocolate
How to make the mars bar slice
Get your kids to grease a baking tin, approximately 19cm x 28cm (7 x 11 inches), and line the base and sides with baking or parchment paper.
Make the base of the mars bar slice
Measure the butter/margarine (50g) and golden syrup (1 tbsp) out and add to a small pan. Get your kids to roughly chop the mars bars up and then add them to the butter.
This is quite a good chopping job for young kids to practice using a knife as you can use a blunt knife and not worry too much about small fingers. Just get them to chop it roughly, it doesn’t matter if all the pieces are the same size, it’s just to help it all melt in properly. It can get a wee bit sticky though, so maybe have a wet wipe to hand.
Melt everything in the mircrowave on in a small pan on a low heat. Stir it occasionally (or get older children to) until it comes together in a smooth chocolate mixture.
If you’re using the microwave to melt everything, pop it all in a microwavable bowl and zap it for short intervals (30 seconds or so). Take it out and stir it to make sure it melts evenly and doesn’t burn.
Meanwhile get your kids to measure the Rice Crispies (3 cups) out into a large mixing bowl.
Add the melted Mars bar mixture to your mixing bowl.
Mix everything together with wooden spoons or a spatula, so the Rice Crispies are all nicely coated with the melted mars bar.
Pour your mixture into your prepared baking tin and get your kids to press it down with the back of a spoon. We found a metal spoon worked best for this as the mixture didn’t stick to it as much as it did the wooden spoons.
Make sure you push it properly into the corners and edges of your baking tin.
Leave your Mars bar slice asdie for at least 30 minutes to set.
Add the chocolate topping
Melt the chocolate in the microwave at short intervals, stirring to make sure it melts evenly. If you don’t have a microwave, put it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water to melt (a bain marie).
Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the Rice Crispies mixture and spread out with a spatula. Gently tap the baking tin on the counter to make sure the chocolate has spread evenly.
Leave to set again, (it’ll be quicker in the fridge but will set just in your kitchen as long as it’s not too warm.
Cut it into squares to serve.
Mars bar slice
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 4 regular sized mars bars approx 200g
- 3 cups Rice Crispies/rice bubbles about 60g
- 250 g milk chocolate
Instructions
Grease and line a baking tin, approximately 19cm x 28cm.
Make the base of the mars bar slice
- Measure the butter and golden syrup out and add to a small pan. Chop the Mars bars up and then add them to the butter.
- Melt on a low heat, stirring occasionally until it comes together in a smooth chocolate mixture.
- Meanwhile measure the Rice Crispies out into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix everything together so the Crispies are all nicely coated with the melted mars bar.
- Pour into the baking tin and press down with the back of a spoon. We found a metal spoon worked best for this as the mixture didn’t stick to it.
- Leave for 30 minutes or longer to set.
Add the chocolate topping
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave at short intervals, stirring to make sure it melts evenly. If you don’t have a microwave, put it in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water to melt.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the Rice Crispies mixture and spread out with a spatula. Gently tap the baking tin on the counter to make sure the chocolate has spread evenly.
- Leave to set again, before cutting into squares to serve.
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Oh my, I used to love these as a kid – my friends scottish Granny always made them for us. Pinned!
Thanks for taking me back to a happy place! And for linking to #coolmumclub
You’re welcome. I’d forgotten all about them, but glad I’ve rediscovered them!
I have never had these!! I’m so buying the ingredients after work tomorrow, L will love making them with me and eating them. Yum #coolmumclub
My other half says they were the nicest thing I’ve ever baked! They’re not exactly fine dinning but obviously must taste good!
I love these Helen. They’re so nostalgic – I think I just about remember making them but, like you, I definitely remember eating them 😉 Thankyou too for linking up with #BakingCrumbs.
Angela x
Thanks. They tasted just as good as I remembered! I need to find some more 1980/90s retro food to bring resurrect!