Rose del Deserto

If you ever crave chocolate crunchiness, this quick and delicious Rose del Deserto recipe is what you need. It just requires cornflakes, some kind of puffed rice, some nuts…and chocolate that you can melt…that’s it!

Rose del Deserto translates to Desert Roses and it takes its name from the beautiful crystal formation that you can find in the most famous deserts, including the Saharah desert. These minerals and sand rocks look like clusters of rose petals and flowers and the Cheeky Green Bean chocolatey version is as aesthetically pleasing as the real – clearly non-edible – thing!

Rose del Deserto’s traditional recipe is a bit more complex than what I’m presenting you with. It usually involves baking, eggs, flour, butter and such to make proper biscuits. However, I really like the crunchiness and simplicity of this quick version. This way I’m also making it gluten-free and a little bit more accessible for my gastritis and GERD/GORD-inflicted pals.

Cheeky ingredients swaps

As usual, moderation is key when it comes to chocolate and stomach acidity – if you know even the tiniest portion of chocolate will mess with you, replace the chocolate with yoghurt – either soya or dairy. You can then freeze the Rose del Deserto and have an incredibly refreshing little snack for summertime!
To make this vegan-friendly simply use dark chocolate for all 🙂 There are some brands that make vegan white chocolate but I found they’re not as tasty or workable, so go for that more natural full cocoa experience. I like to use the Dr Oetker Extra Dark Chocolate bar as it’s some of the best quality cooking chocolate that you can find in everyday shops at a reasonable price.

I usually prepare Rose del Deserto when I want to make a quick and beautiful “bouquet” of chocolates to gift to my friends and family. If you want to impress someone but you don’t have a lot of time and ingredients at hand, this might be a good solution! Though preparing a nice tasty dessert for yourself is one of the best acts of self-love you can do, so treat yourself to some Rose del Deserto… there’s plenty to enjoy!

Rose del Deserto

Bean

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Resting Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine European, Italian

Servings 30 Roses

Equipment

2 Medium pots to melt the chocolate
2 Teaspoons
Muffin liners or baking paper

Ingredients

150 gr Extra Dark Chocolate
150 gr White Chocolate
40 gr Corn Flakes Make sure to double-check that they are gluten-free
40 gr Puffed Rice
20 gr Hazelnuts crumb
10 gr Almonds crumb

Instructions

Melt the two types of chocolate in two different pots – you can either melt them al a bain marie (double saucepan) or use your microwave. Both methods will take about 2-5 minutes but if you choose to go with the microwave make sure to do just max a minute at a time and to check it frequently as it can easily burn!
Once the chocolate has melted measure the ingredients, and add half of them to the dark chocolate pot and half to the white chocolate one. Now stir well so all the ingredients in each container are fully coated in chocolate.
Place your muffin liners or a sheet of baking paper on a stable clean surface and with a teaspoon place a spoonful of the mixture inside your muffin liner or on your baking paper. Repeat until you have used the whole blend.
Let the little roses cool and harden. To speed up the process, you can put them in the fridge for half an hour. Once they're set, enjoy your delicious creations!
Store in a cool place, in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.