Chocolate-Cornflakes-Nut Nuggets (candy) Reg. or Gluten Free

Christmas is coming, when all candy is calorie free because we are celebrating and what is Christmas without candy?   My daughter asked me to come up with a chocolate nugget recipe and this one  is easy to make and is really good.
These would make a sweet little addition to a  gift basket or  packaged as a  hostess gift or just a treat
 to serve to your own family or guests.

• 6 tbsp. butter 
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder 
• 1 cup white sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1/3 cup cream + 1 tbsp milk 
• 1 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips 
• 1 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes (use gluten-free cornflakes to make nuggets GF) 
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds 

1. Mix cocoa powder and sugar 
2. Melt butter in saucepan on med. heat, add cream and stir in cocoa and sugar and vanilla. 
3. Stirring constantly, careful not to burn, bring to a boil and cook until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, stirring until melted. 
5. Stir in crushed cornflakes and almonds. 
6. Line a pan 11"x 7" with parchment paper. 
7. Scrape mixture into pan and pat down with the back of a spoon. 
8. Chill in fridge for a couple of hours until set and hardened. 
9. Lift out of pan and cut into 1" squares.  
10. Keeps well -  keep in fridge if wanting to keep for an extended period of time. 

NOTE-  if a lighter chocolate is desired, reduce cocoa powder to 1/4 cup and use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate.