Crispy Clusters Food

CHOCOLATE CRISPY RICE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line a mini-muffin pan with mini-muffin paper cups. Fill each cup about halfway with Rice Krispies. No real measurement required here.
• Carefully melt the chocolate chips (can also use bar chocolate for baking, candy melts would also work but already have a lot of added flavor thus taking away from the vanilla-cinnamon combo) either on stovetop or in the microwave. If microwaving, be VERY careful because culinary chocolate can burn if nuked too hard!
• When it's a nice stirring consistency, stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.
• While the chocolate is still hot, spoon over the Rice Krispies, coating them well.
• Gently re-microwave if mixture begins to stiffen.
• Freeze the pan for at least 2 hours prior to eating.

RICE KRISPIES CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Melt peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch chips in microwave or on medium low heat on the stove.
• Pour over the cereal.
• Mix well and drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet, or press evenly into a 9x9" pan.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• If pressed in a pan, cut into bars.

PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and shortening in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and add the cereal and peanuts. Stir with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
• Spoon the cereal mixture into clusters (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with nonpareils. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

CRISPY CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Crush peanuts into small pieces; set aside.
• Cover baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt chocolate in large microwaveable bowl as directed on package, following microwave directions. Add corn flakes, cranberries and peanuts; stir gently until evenly coated with chocolate.
• Use large spoon to drop cereal mixture into 24 clusters on prepared baking sheet.
• Top each with marshmallow. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

CHERRY ALMOND CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the almonds and the cherries. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Melt half the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over slightly simmering water, over the lowest possible heat, stirring frequently. Make sure the water is not touching the top pan. Remove the double boiler from the heat and stir in the rest of the chocolate. Remove the top pan with the chocolate in it, gently wipe the bottom of it and set it aside for a moment. Replace the simmering water in the bottom pan with warm tap water. Put the pan of melted chocolate on top of the warm water. This will keep the chocolate at the right temperature while you make the clusters.
• Stir the fruit-nut mixture into the chocolate. Spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Put them in the refrigerator to set for 15 minutes. Store and serve at room temperature.

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.

CRUNCHY OAT CLUSTERS WITH PEACH & YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
• Tip the apricots, oil and egg whites into a bowl (see tip box for how to use up the egg yolks), then blitz with a hand blender until very smooth. Stir in the oats, cinnamon and vanilla, then fold through the desiccated coconut, almonds and pumpkin seeds.
• Pinch clusters of the mixture together to create texture in the granola, then scatter over the lined baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 15 mins, then toss (turning the larger pieces) and bake for a further 10 mins until golden and crunchy.
• Cool the granola completely on the tray, then pack into a large airtight jar or container. If you're following our Healthy Diet Plan, serve two portions over three days, filling the base of each bowl with yogurt (½ pot for each portion) and topping with half a peach, sliced.