Christmas is coming up next week and Hanukkah has started yesterday. Feeling a little stress? Maybe you want to make some homemade gifts, but feel like there is no time. Don’t worry! That was exactly how I felt! Things are being unpacked. The dining table is full of random stuffs. I am in a new kitchen. I just didn’t think I could take on a big task to make hundred of cookies. I usually bake 2 kinds of cookies. One is Bryan’s favorite, chocolate chip cookies. The other one is something new and different, like simple lemon cookies, espresso-chocolate shortbread, and apple cider caramels. However this year, I don’t think I have time and energy to do 2 cookies.
Then I found this recipe! This recipe only requires 2 ingredients and very little time. No oven or stove is needed. Melt some chocolate in the microwave, toss everything together, pile them into little clusters. Voila! Here are your yummy chocolate cornflake clusters. They are crunchy and chocolatey. Perfect sweets to munch on. This morning, I just packed up 14 little boxes for Bryan to give away at work. I got to give them away before I ate them all! 😛
Happy Holidays to all of you! Enjoy a sweet time with your families and loved ones!
Chocolate Cornflake Clusters (Adapted from Food & Wine)
About 38 clusters
Ingredients:
– 1 pound good quality chocolate (milk, semisweet, or bittersweet)
– 4 cups cornflakes
Directions:
- Cut the chocolate into ½-inch pieces.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with wax paper.
- In a large bowl, add the cornflakes.
- In a dry medium glass bowl, add ¾ of the chocolate. Microwave at medium-high power for 30 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula. Repeat to cook in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again. Repeat the steps until the chocolate has just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is completely melted. The chocolate should register 87 – 89˚F (30.5 – 31.6˚C) on a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer.
- Pour ½ of the chocolate into the cornflakes. Stir gently to coat the cornflakes evenly. Add the rest of the chocolate. Continue to coat the cornflakes until you can no longer see any yellow.
- Working quickly and using a teaspoon, scoop heaping teaspoon of cornflakes to the prepared baking sheet and shape them into clusters with another spoon. Let the clusters to sit at room temperature until set.
Tips:
- I used half milk chocolate and half 70% dark chocolate. Use anything you like.
- Tempering chocolate can be tricky. Keep all using bowl clean and dry. A drop of water can ruin your beautiful chocolate.
- If the chocolate didn’t get melted completely before pouring into the cornflakes, microwave for 10 seconds and stir again. Repeat if needed.
- For storage, place the clusters into an airtight container at cool room temperature. They can be stored for up to 2 weeks.
Source: Read
This is such a great idea for homemade gifts!! Quick and easy! I am pretty sure half of them will not make it as gifts 🙂
Thank you Oana! Haha! They are really hard to resist! But yea, I love how easy these are. Have a wonderful holidays!
What is it about cornflakes that are just so good! I guess it’s just that lovely crunchy sweetness. I haven’t made this in a long time but I’m a big fan. Great tips and yours looks like perfect homemade gifts. Happy Holidays!
I love the extra crunch from cornflakes. I am a huge fan of these too! They can be kept for a long time and they are easy to make. Happy Holidays to you as well, Monica!
Hi, what chocolate brand do you use? I’m worried that my chocolate will melt when I keep it at room temperature. As well, do you know how long can I keep these? Thinking of doing lots of it for the upcoming Chinese New Year as gift =)
Hi Valerie, these would be awesome CNY gifts!
I used Lindt chocolate bars. You can use something like Godiva, Valrhona, and Ghirardelli.
For the temperature issue, if your room temp is 75˚F and below, your chocolate should be fine. If it is really too warm, keep them in the fridge in a zip-loc bag with air out. Before using, wrap the chocolate along with the zip-loc bag in a towel and let them slowly get back to room temp. This will prevent any condensation in the chocolate. Any water can ruin the tempering.
These clusters can be kept in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Let me know how it goes! Have fun! 🙂
Hi Lokness,
Thank you for the quick response. I tried the, using Hershey’s chocolate chips (these are the only ones I can find in my supermarket). However, my chocolate are not even hardening after they are melted =( Do you think it’s because of the chocolate I’m using?
Very likely. Chocolate chips are very different than regular chocolate bars. They have less cocoa butter than regular chocolate which won’t melt probably. Find chocolate from the candy isle, not baking isle. Use any chocolate that you can eat right out of the wrapper. (http://www.lindtusa.com/shop/chocolates/bars-12053–1/70-cocoa-excellence-bar) Hope you will have better luck this time.
Hey lokness,
Can I use baking chocolate? What is the diffrent between baking chocolate than candy chocolate? I’ve been tried by using baking dark chocolate, and I kept at refrigerator but after i take out it, the chocolate become melted and the cornflakes become cashew. How to storage it for long time without refrigerator? Can i use aluminium foil to keep it cryspy because i planned to sell in in mw hometown in Bali?
Thank you,
Baking chocolate is usually more bitter with less sugar to no sugar. But if you don’t mind them being bitter, you can use baking chocolate. Cornflakes shouldn’t get soggy if the clusters are set up quickly and properly. Once the chocolate is cooled, the cornflakes will remain crunchy for 2 weeks.
The best way of storing chocolate is at room temperature in an airtight container. But if you are living in a hot humid place, you can keep the clusters in the fridge. Make sure to keep them in a dry airtight container. Humid will ruin the chocolate. Hope this helps! Good luck!
Hi there.ive tried these and they are beautiful. Only problem is once its set in the fridge i take it out to room temperature… the choc does not remain harden. It melts( when i touch it, i get melted chocs on my hands instantly) n does not clump together as hard as it was in the fridge. Can i keep it in a fridge in those containers with the red cap. Will condensation form?ive done at least 3 bottles so far n intend to do more to give to my relatives for raya. My fridge is at 5degrees c. Pls help.
Hi Pg, it seems like your area is too warm, so the chocolate melted instantly at room temp. You can definitely keep the clusters in those red cap containers in the fridge. There shouldn’t be any condensation. Enjoy! 🙂