Cornflake Crunch Ice Cream Sundae

While this is technically a recipe for an ice cream sundae, the real star of the show here is the cornflake crunch. Unsweetened cornflakes get tossed in a honey butter mixture and baked until golden and crispy, and they are downright addictive. They make a lovely topping for vanilla ice cream swirled with a tart blueberry jam, or just an easy sweet snack.

Ingredients:

For the cornflake crunch:

• 50 grams cornflakes
• 25 grams unsalted butter
• 10 grams honey
• 10 grams granulated white sugar
• a pinch of salt

For the ice cream sundaes:

• 200 grams vanilla ice cream (about half a pint), softened slightly
• 3-4 tablespoons any kind of berry jam (store-bought or homemade)

Instructions:

Make the cornflake crunch:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the cornflakes in a large bowl.
3. Place the butter, sugar, honey, and salt in a saucepan or small pot. Cook on low heat for about 1 minute, stirring, just until the butter is melted and everything is combined.
4. Pour the honey-butter-sugar mixture over the cornflakes. Mix well to coat all of the cornflakes.
5. Spread the cornflakes on your prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until fragrant and a shade darker – watch closely to ensure they don’t burn.
7. Let cool completely. The cornflakes may be soft and a bit sticky when you pull them out of the oven, but they will crisp up as they cool. If they don’t, and you think you haven’t baked them long enough, you can return them to the oven, checking them every couple of minutes.
8. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Make the blueberry ice cream sundaes:

1. In a bowl or freezer-safe container, spread a layer of softened vanilla ice cream. Dollop your jam of choice on top, then follow with more ice cream. Continue layering – this does not need to be perfect at all.
2. Return to the freezer to firm up, for at least one hour and up to a week.
3. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle some cornflake crunch at the bottom of your serving dish. Scoop your jammy ice cream on top, then top generously with more cornflake crunch. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Gluten free: To make this gluten free, use unsweetened certified gluten-free cornflakes.
• Ice cream: Use a vanilla ice cream you love here, because the flavor and texture will come through in the final product. You can also upgrade any vanilla ice cream you have with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
• Storage: I don’t recommend mixing the cornflakes into the ice cream and then freezing for more than an hour, as they lose their crunch. Store the cornflakes separately.
• Jam: I like to make my own fruit jams (technically, more of a compote) and store them in the freezer so that I can control the sweetness level. My favorites to use here are the blueberry jam from this cake and the strawberry jam from this cake. For the easiest route, use your favorite store-bought jam.