Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a simple decoration made from nothing more than cornflakes, melted white compound chocolate and a little powder colour. The coated flakes are pressed into a cone while the chocolate is still soft, and once it sets the whole thing holds together as a light, crunchy tree that can stand on top of a cake or beside a dessert on the plate.
It tastes exactly as you would expect: sweet, milky white chocolate against toasty cornflakes, with a snap and then a crackle. Tinted green it makes a Christmas tree, but the same method works in any colour for cones, bushes and rock shapes on a novelty cake. It is a good one to make with children, and because there is no cream or egg in it, it keeps for weeks in a tin.
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: 301
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: cone-shaped tree about 15 cm tall (or several small trees)
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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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100 |
3.5 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, unsweetened
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whole, unbroken |
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B
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200 |
7 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.
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melted |
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C
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1 |
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Powder Colour
Powder colour is a highly concentrated dry food colouring sold in small pots for cake decorating. Because it contains no water it can be stirred straight into melted chocolate without causing it to seize, unlike liquid or gel colours.
green, or the colour you want
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301
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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 a tray with baking paper and have a cone mould, a paper cone or simply clean hands ready for shaping. Weigh A (cornflakes) into a large bowl, keeping the flakes as whole as possible. |
Everything ready before the chocolate is melted, as it sets quickly |
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2 |
Melt |
Melt B (white compound chocolate) gently in a microwave in short bursts, or over a bowl of warm water, stirring between each burst. |
Smooth and fluid, no hotter than lukewarm to the touch |
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3 |
Colour |
Stir C (powder colour) into the melted chocolate a little at a time until the shade is even. |
Colour fully dispersed with no specks; use powder only, never water-based colour |
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4 |
Coat |
Pour the coloured chocolate over A (cornflakes) and fold through with a spatula. |
Every flake coated but the flakes still mostly whole |
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5 |
Shape |
Working quickly, press the mixture into a cone mould lined with baking paper, or pile it up on the lined tray and shape it into a cone with your hands, pressing firmly from the base upwards. |
Firm enough to hold its shape, while the chocolate is still soft |
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6 |
Set |
Leave the tree in a cool, dry place to set. Do not put it in the refrigerator. |
Firm and dry to the touch, about 20 to 30 minutes |
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7 |
Finish |
Unmould carefully and stand the tree on the cake or plate. Dust with icing sugar for snow, or decorate with small sugar pearls stuck on with a dot of melted chocolate. |
Stands upright without leaning |
Important Notes
This quantity makes one cone-shaped tree about 15 cm tall, or several small ones. Use compound (coating) chocolate rather than couverture: it sets hard at room temperature without tempering, which is what holds the flakes together. Only ever use powder or oil-based colour — a water-based gel or liquid will make the chocolate seize. Once set, keep the tree in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from sunlight; it will stay crisp for several weeks. Do not refrigerate, as condensation will soften the cornflakes and dull the chocolate. Handle it as little as possible with bare hands so the finish does not mark.
Tools & Arrangements
Large mixing bowl, heatproof bowl or microwave-safe jug, spatula, baking paper, flat tray, cone mould or a paper cone (optional), disposable gloves for shaping.
