As a child, the only boxed cereal I’d eat was Frosted Flakes. I’m not sure if it was because of Tony the Tiger- my favorite toy for years was a beat up old Tigger doll (which I still have, and which is staring at me from a top shelf right here in my office as I type this. Hi, Tigger!)- but I loved my Frosted Flakes. As I grew up, though, I found it too sweet for my tastes, and transitioned to regular cornflakes. With honey- or vanilla sugar if I’m feeling naughty- and creamy whole milk (but not too much, I don’t like soggy cornflakes). What exactly is in a cornflake, though? Some online research brought me these interesting facts:

• Wikipedia tells me that cornflakes were originally manufactured by Kellogg’s “through the treatment of corn”, and that it was originally called “Granose”. Good call changing the name, I say- although the “treatment of corn” doesn’t sound too healthy to me.
• This awesome page describes the process of making cornflakes, from milling the sweetcorn to rolling it into flakes with 40 tonnes of pressure, to um, “spraying” it with vitamins and minerals.
• Although I like them best in a bowl with milk and sweetener, cornflakes are a wonderful substitute for breading in most recipes. Check out this Cornflake Fried Chicken recipe from Epicurious, for example. One reviewer said the sweetness of the cornflakes was “a delicious change”.

Finally, let me leave you with this recipe from Nigel Slater that uses four ingredients, and makes some of the most addicting little “cakes” I’ve ever tasted. Try them and see.

Chocolate Cornflake Cakes

Ingredients
50g butter
4 tbsp golden syrup (or corn syrup- or honey)
100g good dark chocolate
75g cornflakes

In a small, heavy pan over low heat, melt the butter, syrup and chocolate together. Stir in the cornflakes. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out rounds of the mixture onto a buttered baking sheet or silpat mat. Chill in the fridge.