Puffed Wheat Squares (small batch)

 

 

 

The recipe which I am sharing with you today for soft Puffed Wheat Squares is one which I adapted from the page Mennonite Girls Can Cook.  These are the best puffed wheat squares.

They are soft and chewy and ooey, gooey, and filled with lots of lovely chocolate flavor.  I do not believe that this recipe is Mennonite in origin, but I could be wrong, and often am.

 

Puffed Wheat cereal is an all-natural product.  It is made from whole grains of steamed wheat that are pressurized and then depressurized to create a soft, spongy type of breakfast cereal.  

Loads of families had this type of cereal for breakfast when I was a child.  It was this or oatmeal. Both were wholesome. Both were economical.  We used to get the puffed wheat in a huge bag, but now it comes in a much smaller bag.

This is the brand that I used. You can get it at No Frills, Loblaws, Superstore or the Independant here in town. Fat free and no sugar added.

 

Making these squares I was reminded of when my children were growing up. They loved me to make things like these and I made them often. These or Rice Krispie squares. Both were quick and easy snacks that they loved.

They were great for putting into the lunch box or for enjoying as a nice light snack before bed.  I have a photograph somewhere of my kiddos helping to clean out the pot after making squares like this. That was their favorite thing to do.  

I didn't mind in the least. Good times and happy memories were being made!

 

I small batched this recipe to make only 16 (2-inch) squares and half of them I am sending over to my sisters.  I don't need a full batch of these around my house!  They are so good, and I know I would be tempted to eat them all!

Yes, I am that greedy, especially when it comes to things like this that feel very nostalgic to me. When I am eating one of these, I feel just like a child again.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PUFFED WHEAT SQUARES

Simple store cupboard ingredients. You might have to run to the store for the puffed wheat, but I am betting you have everything else! 

• 1/4 cup (60g) butter
• 1/2 cup (175g) corn syrup (in the UK use golden syrup)
• 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
• 1/8 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 3 heaped TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (not the drink mix)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 5 cups (100g) puffed wheat cereal

 

I just use regular salted butter. For me it is a bit pretentious to use unsalted butter for cooking with. I can't afford to have both in my kitchen. Think about it, our mothers never had unsalted butter.  Never killed us.

I just cut back on any salt (if required) in a recipe to make up for it. There is no salt in this recipe.

 

I used golden corn syrup. In America I would use light corn syrup and in the UK I would use Golden Syrup. YUMMMM!!

I already explained what the cereal is above.

Cocoa powder is the type of dry cocoa powder that you would use in baking. Here I use the brand called Fry's. You just need to make sure you are not using powdered chocolate drink mix such as what you would use to make hot chocolate.  

Cocoa powder has nothing added to it. It is pretty much just ground cocoa beans. No sugar. No milk. Just the cocoa powder.

 

HOW TO MAKE PUFFED WHEAT SQUARES

It doesn't get much easier than this.  Melt some stuff together, pour it over the cereal and press into a pan. Wait for it to set up and cut.

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan really well. Set aside. (Alternately you can spray your pan with some canola oil cooking spray.)

Place the butter, both sugars, corn syrup, and cocoa powder into a medium, heavy bottomed, saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce to a low bubble and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the vanilla.

Have the wheat puffs ready in a bowl. Pour the hot mixture over top and mix everything well together. Press into the prepared baking pan. (I found a rubber spatula did a really good job of this.)

Leave to stand until set and then cut into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

 

And that's it.  Easy peasy lemon squeasy.  I love how they cut so easily into perfect squares.  Do be warned, they are addictive.  So scrumptious that you can trick yourself into having "just a nibble" and before you know it . . . well, you know . . . gone!  

Disappeared.  Nada left. In a puff of smoke.  Wheat puff smoke.  Scrumptious!

This is my Grandmother's plate. It was a wedding gift. It's not worth anything but means the world to me. I think she would like that I am still using it all these years later.

If you would like some other ideas about delicious cereal snacks, do check out the following:

SWEET MARIE SLICES - These are chock full of crunchy-ness, and chewy-ness, and peanuty-ness, and scrummy-ness . . . with just the right amount of chocolaty-ness to make them incredibly moreish, can't put me down . . . addictive-ness!

SUGARED DATE SQUARES - I like to make these around Christmas time, but they are good anytime. Delectably scrumptious little bites of cereal and dried fruit, cut into squares and rolled in powdered sugar.  Betcha can't eat just one!

Puffed Wheat Squares (small batch)

Yield: 16 (2-inch)

Author: Marie Rayner

Cook time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

A lovely taste of nostalgia. A quick and easy make that the whole family will love. You will need an 8-inch square pan.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60g) butter
• 1/2 cup (175g) corn syrup (in the UK use golden syrup)
• 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
• 1/8 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 3 heaped TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (not the drink mix)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 5 cups (100g) puffed wheat cereal

Instructions

1. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan really well. Set aside.
2. Place the butter, both sugars, corn syrup, and cocoa powder into a medium, heavy bottomed, saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce to a low bubble and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Have the wheat puffs ready in a bowl. Pour the hot mixture over top and mix everything well together. Press into the prepared baking pan. (I found a rubber spatula did a really good job of this.)
4. Leave to stand until set and then cut into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Did you make this recipe?

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