Cornflake Clusters Food

COOKING WITH KIDS: CHOCOLATE CORNFLAKE CAKES

Steps:

• Children: Weigh out the ingredients. Older children can do this by themselves with supervision and little ones can help to pour or spoon ingredients into the weighing scales. Put 50g butter, 100g milk or dark chocolate, broken into chunks and 3 tbsp golden syrup in a saucepan or microwavable bowl. Put 100g cornflakes in another large bowl.
• Grown ups: Melt the weighed butter, chocolate and golden syrup in the saucepan over a low heat or briefly in the microwave. Allow to cool a little before pouring over the cornflakes.
• Children: Stir the ingredients together gently using a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake cases arranged on a muffin tray (or baking sheet, if you don't have one). Grown ups will need to do this for younger children or simply arrange on a tray and let the mess happen. Put in the fridge to set.

CORNFLAKE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Combine corn syrup, sugar and butter in medium size sauce pan. Bring to boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes, while stirring. Remove from heat.
• Add remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
• Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper or buttered baking sheets; cool until firm.

CHOCOLATE CORN FLAKES

Steps:

• Pour the corn flakes into a large mixing bowl, then pour about half of the bittersweet chocolate over them. Using a rubber spatula, mix until they are coated evenly. The chocolate will immediately begin to set. Once the chocolate has set, repeat with the remaining chocolate to give it second coat.
• Quickly scoop the chocolate corn flakes into small mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. (It is easier to use one spoon to scoop the mounds and another spoon to scrape them onto the sheet pan.) It is important to work quickly because the mixture is easier to scoop before the chocolate hardens.
• If your kitchen is very hot, you can place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, however, do not leave them in the refrigerator for more than 10 minutes. If they get too cold, condensation will form on them when they are removed from the refrigerator due to the difference in temperature between the cold chocolate and the warm air, which will cause the chocolate to turn white. While this doesn't affect the taste, it does ruin the appearance.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry area for up to 2 weeks.
• How to Temper Chocolate (From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

CORNFLAKE CAKES

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat.
• Add the golden syrup stirring constantly until mixed.
• Add the chocolate and vanilla extract and stir until blended then remove from the heat.
• Add the corn flakes and stir to coat evenly.
• Place in baking cases and place in a fridge. Allow to set before serving.

CRISPY CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Mix corn flakes, coconut and walnuts in large bowl.
• Melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; cook until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Pour over corn flake mixture; toss to coat.
• Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the corn flake mixture onto wax paper-covered baking sheet or tray. Cool completely.

SALTED CARAMEL CORNFLAKE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• To make the salted caramel heat the sugar in a medium saucepan over a medium heat continually stirring. The sugar will form into clumps, do not worry continue to stir and the sugar will eventually turn to an amber colour.
• Then add the butter and stir until melted.
• Slowly add the cream and boil for a minute.
• Remove from the heat and add the salt. Set aside for a few minutes to cool.
• Then add the golden syrup and stir in the cornflakes.
• Dollop the salted caramel cornflakes into paper cases.
• Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the cornflake clusters.
• Add a few golden Galaxy eggs on top.
• Put in the fridge for 30mins until set.