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For the oat cereal: Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Place the cereal in a large bowl.
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Pour about half of the tempered chocolate over the cereal and, using a rubber spatula, toss the cereal around to coat evenly.
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The chocolate will begin to set.
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When the first coating has set, pour in the remaining chocolate and again toss to coat evenly.
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Working quickly while the chocolate is still pliable, scoop up small mounds of the cereal and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
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Set aside for about 30 minutes (or place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for no more than 10 minutes to speed the setting).
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Layer the cereal clusters, separated by sheets of waxed paper, in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
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For the corn flake cereal: Crunch up the cereal by hand, so as to break them up, but not pulverize them into crumbs.
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Add the crumbled cereal to the bowl of chocolate and toss to coat evenly.
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Drop the cereal by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
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Place the sheet into the refrigerator to help the cornflake clusters set.
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Package as you wish!
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Cook's Note: Tempering, which requires more patience and care than skill, can be done in a variety of ways, but the end result must always be the same: a smooth, pure chocolate that will retain its satiny texture and shiny color once it has set.
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It can be done 3 different ways.
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1) the demanding traditional, time-consuming (and messy) French way, called tabliering whereby two-thirds of the full amount of melted chocolate is poured out onto a cool surface and worked with a spatula until it reaches 81 degrees F and then worked back into the remaining melted chocolate until the whole mass is of a uniform temperature; 2) simply by working with the chocolate over a hot water bath; 3) in a microwave oven.
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Since the chocolate must reach and maintain an exact temperature in each case, you need a perfectly calibrated thermometer.
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I rely on a digital laser thermometer, which is a good investment if you want to make tempering an easy job.
