Give Chocolate-Covered Berries A Crunchy Texture In One Simple Step

While a late-night bowl of cereal can function as a delicacy of its own, cereal can actually be a useful ingredient in recipes across the board. From adding Cinnamon Toast Crunch to apple crisp to coating chicken in crushed cornflakes, all you need is a little creativity to enhance your meals with simple cereal. The same principle applies to desserts.

Chocolate-covered berries, for example, are great on their own, but the addition of some crunch is a game-changer you never knew you needed. Making chocolate-covered strawberries is easy if you use the best melting chocolate and let them harden long enough. It's one of the simplest desserts that feels upscale, and adding a layer of crunch is hardly an extra step. Pour your cereal into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin or your hands to crush the bits up until they're smaller than they were, but not quite a fine powder. After your berries are washed and dried (they can't be wet, or the chocolate won't stick!), dunk one in melted chocolate, shake off the excess, and roll it around in crushed cornflakes. Leave them to set in the refrigerator for a few minutes, and when they're all ready, you'll get a burst of berry sweetness, creamy chocolate, and satisfying crunch in every bite.

Regular milk chocolate and strawberries are a perfect pair already; no notes. Adding crushed cornflakes doesn't mess with the flavor much but adds just enough sweetness and crunch to round things out. It's a bit like rolling them in crushed nuts, but without the overpowering flavor.

Of course, if you want to change the flavor a bit, there is so much room for experimenting. Try chocolate-flavored cornflakes for added richness. Frosted flakes add extra sweetness, while bran flakes add a subtle, earthy note that complements tart berries like raspberries or blackberries. We'd definitely recommend sticking to a flake-type cereal. Other shapes, like round puffs or Cheerios, might be denser, larger, and not as easy to stick. The flatter, slightly craggy surface of cornflakes is ideal for adhering to your melted chocolate. Crushed flakes offer crunch, surface area, and structure without absorbing too much moisture, ensuring your coating stays crisp longer. 

Don't forget you can switch up the chocolate, too! Dark chocolate with bran flakes and blackberries? Yes, please. Or, go fruitier rather than rich and try Fruity Pebbles and white chocolate.

For best results, place the coated berries on a parchment-lined tray and chill them for at least 10 minutes so the chocolate can set. Serve cold for max crunch, or let them sit briefly at room temp for a softer bite. Either way, they're best eaten the same day. No matter how you present them, this one-step upgrade is guaranteed to wow!