makes
32
prep
40 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Mid
makes
32
serves
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
You can bake the biscuits in advance and store them for two weeks. Once you add the ganache they’ll have a four-day shelf life.
Ingredients
Caramelised puffed corn flakes
- 45 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 45 g (1½ oz/1½ cups) roasted cornflakes cereal
- ½ tsp unsalted butter
Cornflake chocolate biscuits
- 60 g (2¼ oz/ 1/3 cup lightly packed) soft brown sugar
- 100 g (3½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 115 g (4 oz) unsalted butter
- 60 g (2¼ oz/about 1) whole egg
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 250 g (9 oz/1⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 20 g (¾ oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 150 g (5½ oz) milk chocolate chips, finely chopped if large
- 150 g (5½ oz) dark chocolate chips, finely chopped if large
Chocolate ganache
- 220 g (7¾ oz) good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 30 g (1 oz) good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) cream (35% fat)
Ganache cooling time: 1 hour
Instructions
1. For the caramelised puffed corn flakes, line a tray with a non-stick mat or baking paper.
2. Put the sugar and 15 ml (½ fl oz/3 teaspoons) water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to 114°C (237°F). (If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, take a small amount of syrup out of the saucepan with a teaspoon and drop it into a bowl of cold water – if it’s the right temperature it will make a soft pliable ball when you remove it from the water and squeeze it between your fingers.) Remove the pan from the heat and add the corn flakes. Mix, off the heat, until the sugar turns from a liquid to sugar crystals again around the corn flakes. Put the pan back over low heat and, while stirring, gently melt and caramelise the sugar. Once the sugar is fully melted and caramelised, add the butter. Immediately scrape the mixture onto the prepared tray and spread it out with a fork. Leave to cool at room temperature. Once cool, break it into smaller pieces. Store in an airtight container until required.
3. For the cornflake chocolate biscuits, preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) and line a baking tray with a non-stick mat or baking paper.
4. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, caster sugar and butter on medium speed until all the lumps of butter have been incorporated and the mixture is light and creamy. (Alternatively, you can mix by hand.) Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and mix to combine. Sift in the flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt and mix to combine, then mix in the chocolate chips and caramelised puffed corn flakes.
5. Place 2.5 cm (1 inch) balls on the prepared tray, 2 cm (¾ inch) apart. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool on the tray at room temperature.
6. For the chocolate ganache, put the chocolates in a bowl. Put the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, whisking until the chocolate has melted to create a ganache. Cover the surface of the ganache with plastic wrap. Leave to cool at room temperature for approximately 1 hour, or until it reaches piping consistency. When you press gently on the plastic and the ganache has a firm but pliable consistency, it’s ready to pipe. Transfer to a piping (icing) bag with a 1 cm (½ inch) plain nozzle.
7. To assemble: Once the biscuits are cool, turn over every second biscuit. If you have varied sizes, match them into like-sized pairs. Pipe the ganache onto one side of the pair, or use a teaspoon to scoop on small amounts of ganache. Pick the base up and match it with its pair then press the two gently together. These biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.
Recipe and image from (Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99). Photography by Greg Elms.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
You can bake the biscuits in advance and store them for two weeks. Once you add the ganache they’ll have a four-day shelf life.
