Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Cornflake crackling is one of the simplest garnishes in the whole repertoire: crisp cornflakes bound together with melted compound chocolate and left to set into light, craggy clusters. The white chocolate carries most of the flavour and does the binding, while a smaller amount of dark compound chocolate is folded through for colour and a deeper cocoa note.
It is sweet, very crunchy and shatters cleanly under the fork, which makes it a useful contrast on soft desserts. Use the clusters whole around the base or on top of a cake, break them into shards for the side of a gateau, or scatter smaller pieces over mousse cups and plated desserts. Compound chocolate is used here on purpose — it sets hard and glossy at room temperature with no tempering, so the crackling stays crisp and handles well.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 30
Number of Units: 30
Unit Size: cluster, about 30 g each
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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500 |
17.6 ounces
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White Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
buttons or chopped
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melted |
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B
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Dark Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
buttons or chopped
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melted |
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C
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300 |
10.6 ounces
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Cornflakes
Cornflakes are crisp flakes of toasted milled corn, sold as a breakfast cereal. In cake work they are used unsweetened or lightly sweetened and straight from the packet, as a light, brittle crunch that holds its shape once coated in chocolate.
plain, unbroken
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900
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Line two flat trays with baking paper and clear a cool, dry bench. Tip C (cornflakes) into a large, wide bowl. |
Room cool and dry; humidity will soften the flakes |
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2 |
Melt |
Melt A (white compound chocolate) in a bowl over barely simmering water or in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each. |
Smooth and fluid, no warmer than about 40°C (105°F) |
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3 |
Melt |
Melt B (dark compound chocolate) separately in the same way. |
Smooth and fluid |
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4 |
Combine |
Pour A (the melted white chocolate) over C (the cornflakes) and fold gently with a spatula until every flake is coated. |
Flakes coated but still whole, not crushed |
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5 |
Marble |
Drizzle B (the melted dark chocolate) over the mixture and fold through with two or three strokes only. |
Streaked and marbled, not blended to one colour |
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6 |
Shape |
Spoon the mixture onto the lined trays in small clusters of about 30 g, or spread it out in a thin layer to break into shards later. |
Clusters loose and craggy, not pressed flat |
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7 |
Set |
Leave the trays at cool room temperature until the chocolate is firm. If the kitchen is warm, chill for 10 minutes only. |
Snaps cleanly and lifts off the paper without sticking |
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8 |
Store |
Lift the set crackling off the paper and store in an airtight container. |
Airtight, away from the fridge and from any moisture |
Important Notes
The full batch makes about 900 g, roughly thirty 30 g clusters, or one tray of crackling to break into shards. Compound chocolate needs no tempering, so it sets hard and shiny on its own — do not overheat it, as it goes thick and dull. Work quickly once the chocolate is on the flakes, because it starts to set as soon as it meets the cold cereal. Keep the crackling in an airtight container at cool room temperature and it will stay crisp for two to three weeks; never refrigerate it uncovered, as condensation will soften the cornflakes and turn the chocolate sticky. Apply it to a cake as close to serving as you can, since moisture from cream or mousse will soften it over a day.
Tools & Arrangements
Large wide mixing bowl, two smaller heatproof bowls, small saucepan or microwave, rubber spatula, two flat trays, baking paper, spoon or small scoop, airtight storage container.
