Chocolate Cornflake Clusters

Here's a quick, really easy, but best of all, delicious recipe to make the best chocolate clusters. It's so easy, I hesitate to even call it a recipe! The add in's can be pretty much anything you like with chocolate from any kind of nut or dried fruit to coconut or marshmallows. And in this case, including cornflakes gives it an extra crunch.
Just melt, double boiler method, a good quality dark chocolate. I used some good Belgian chocolate for mine.
Start with about a generous 1/2 cup of chocolate. You can always add in more.
Chop your chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl over very low simmering water.
Stir the chocolate occasionally til it melts. Be careful not to let the water get above a simmer.
Once the chocolate is all melted, take the pan off the heat but keep the bowl over the water.
Then just put the add in's into the melted chocolate and stir to combine. You can add as much or as little as you like. The cornflakes make a really nice crunchy cluster. If you like chunky bars, the combo of raisins and peanuts is great, too!
Then scoop out teaspoonfuls and either place on waxed paper in clusters or, as my photo shows, I used small muffin paper cups. Refridgerate til set.
A perfect Valentine's Gift! Yum!!

Peppermint Patties

If you like the refreshing taste of peppermint with chocolate then you're going to love these peppermint patties! Remember the TV commercial for York Peppermint Patties with the wind blowing through the woman's hair to give that cool refreshing feeling?..Well, that certainly describes the taste of these minty pucks! I actually had mint extract, rather than peppermint extract. The peppermint is stronger in flavor and I prefer the mint taste but you can certainly use the peppermint extract..they're peppermint patties, after all! And, they're no bake..which brings me to the real reason I made them today.

You see, my oven died yesterday..Boo Hoo!

So I had to go out to buy a new one..Yeah ! But it won't be delivered for a few days so I have to choose recipes that don't require baking..and this is the first.

They are so easy to make and if you'd like them to look really pretty, you can decorate them by drizzling with white chocolate and maybe some green coloring to give a more minty look. Begin by placing the sugar, butter, extracts and heavy cream into your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Turn the mixer on medium speed and beat another minute or 2 til the mixture looks a bit like paste.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper and make 1" balls rolling between your palms.

Flatten each one with your fingers to make a patty.

Place them into the fridge to chill 20 minutes.

Melt your chocolate, either double boiler style or in the microwave. Let it cool down to room temp.

Once the patties have done their chill time, take them out of the fridge and dip them each into the melted chocolate, shortening mixture, using 2 forks to turn them to coat.

Place the coated patties back onto the waxed paper cookie sheet and put back into the fridge to chill 2 hours.

After they have done their time in the fridge, you can melt and drizzle with more chocolate, such as white chocolate ( tinted with maybe a green color) for a more minty look.

Peppermint Patties ( adapted from Seriouseats.com )

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tsp. mint extract ( or, of course, peppermint, but I'd cut the amount down to 1 tsp.)

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp. heavy cream

8 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate ( I used Belgian Chocolate).

1 tbsp. vegetable shortening

1. With standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the sugar, butter, extracts and heavy cream. Add the ingredients in that order so they combine correctly.

2. Once the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer to medium speed and beat another minute or 2 til the mixture looks a bit like a paste.

3. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper and using a teaspoon , scoop out a small amount of the mixture and roll between your palms a 1" ball.

4. Once all the balls are made, flatten each one with your fingertips to make a patty.

5. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

6. While they're chilling, melt your chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or in the microwave and let it cool to room temp.

7. Take the patties out of the fridge and coat each one in the melted chocolate/shortening mixture, using the 2 forks to help you turn them over to coat well on each side.

8. Put them back in the fridge to chill again 2 hours.

9. Store any leftover patties in the fridge, separated with waxed paper.

Wondering what to do with any remaining melted chocolate? How about dropping a handful of raisins and peanuts into the chocolate and scoop out clusters. Place them onto waxed paper and pop them into the fridge to chill. YUM!