Puffed Wheat Squares (sometimes known as puffed wheat candy) is a treat I have enjoyed since I was a kid! It is an ooey gooey chocolatey square with puffed wheat that creates a wonderfully chewy square. They are so delicious, it is hard to eat just one!
I have been making puffed wheat squares for over 20 years. It is easy to over cook the chocolatey sauce which will result in a crumbly, hard-as-a-rock square, similar to the original which was more of a brittle. If the sauce is under cooked, the squares will be crumbly and not hold together. The trick is to know when the perfect amount of cooking is. I usually get it spot on and the resulting square is chewy and decadent. But do not let that scare you! Practice makes perfect, and knowing the look of the sugary sauce will be helpful in knowing when to remove it from the heat, much like no-bake boil cookies (also known as haystacks).
I never use thermometers (and I do not even know what it should read for puffed wheat squares) because I find they are generally incorrect and just a few degrees off can mean success or flop! I have learned to go by look and know when the sauce is ready for the puffed wheat to be stirred in.
Puffed Wheat Squares were first made in 1913. With World War I sugar rations, puffed wheat squares substituted sugar for molasses and used puffed wheat. Since much of the grains were rationed, puffing rice and wheat was another way to stretch a small amount of grains. Puffed grains were able to go further using less. Using puffed grains in a candy-like sauce was another way to use these delicious grains. You can also eat puffed wheat and puffed rice with milk like you would any cereal. As rationing went away through the years, sugar once again replaced molasses and cocoa appeared, creating the dark color, but changing the flavor.
Much like Nanaimo Bars and Butter Tarts, Puffed Wheat Squares is thought to be a Canadian Treat! And possibly invented in my home province of Alberta. Read the story of the Puffed Wheat Square and find another recipe here: https://visitreddeer.com/story/the-original-puffed-wheat-square
Let’s get started!
Measure out the puffed wheat, and set aside.
Put vanilla, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and cocoa in a large saucepan.
I am using cold butter, so it will take longer to melt.
Bring mixture to a boil. It took about 10 minutes to get to this point. It depends on your pot, stove and whether the butter was room temperature or cold from the fridge. The butter I used was cold, so it took much longer to melt.
Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and dump in puffed wheat. You can also use puffed rice, but may need to add more. Mix well.
Be sure to stir well so all puffed wheat is coated well.
Dump into a greased 9×13″ pan. Press firmly with a silicone spoon or a greased metal spoon. I stir with bamboo, but the puffed wheat sticks to bamboo, so I change my spoon to press into the pan!
Let cool before enjoying. It’s no fun getting burned on a hot sugary sauce! And cutting too soon will result in a square that just falls apart!
Does that not look delicious!?! This is a family favorite!
Nothing goes better with a piece of puffed wheat than a cold glass of milk (of choice of course) or even a cup of coffee.
Puffed Wheat Candy Squares
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup butter
1 cup corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
9-1/2 cups puffed wheat
Combine vanilla, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and cocoa together. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in puffed wheat. Pour into a greased 9×13″ pan. Press firmly. Let cool completely before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container. These do freeze well.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours