1. Crispy Rice Layer a. Stand Mixer Method: Place cereal, peanut butter, powdered sugar, 1/3 cup margarine, and vanilla in a stand mixer. Mix until thoroughly combined. b. By Hand Method: In a bowl, put cereal and powdered sugar. In a saucepan, put peanut butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until peanut butter is of an even consistency and easy to stir. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup margarine until melted, then stir in vanilla extract. Mix peanut butter mixture into cereal mixture.
2. By hand or with cookie scoop, rolls 2 tablespoons of mixture and form a ball. Slightly flatten ball and put on wire rack or plate. Repeat for remaining mixture.
3. Chocolate Layer: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons margarine, stirring constantly. When melted, spoon chocolate onto flattened balls and smooth with back of spoon.
4. Let sit for 30 minutes to set.
Don't worry if you think the balls are too small, they're extraordinarily rich. Larger than that would be unpleasantly too much.
* The success of this recipe is based on using vegan crispy rice cereal that is actually crispy, such as Erewhon's Crispy Brown Rice Original cereal.
Source of recipe: Modified from several unsatisfactory existing recipes.