I didn't enter the cake pop world the same time as everyone else. I'm not really a cake person so it didn't interest me. But my dear friend, Rachel, brought me by a raspberry truffle cake pop from Starbucks one day. Wow. And then this year at Christmas she brought me a white chocolate peppermint holiday cake pop (from Starbucks). Wow again. THEN for my birthday she gave me heart shaped cake pop pans. So what choice did I have this Valentine's but to make cake pops? So really, this blog post is dedicated to Rachel.
NOTES
A traditional cake pop is born out of cake gone wrong. You crush up cake and mix it with jam or icing and roll it into a ball and dip in some kind of coating. Fast forward a few years, cake pop craze abounding- the cake pop pan is now an option as well. I am a serious budding foodie so I research like crazy before attempting a new skill in the kitchen or trying a new recipe. I read a bunch of reviews on cake pop pans and tips about traditional vs pan pops. So now here's my two cents.
The Nordicware Cake Pop Pan (mine is Valentine's themed) actually works great. NOW, I am by no means a professional (one day maybe:) )- and for sure in the baking world, I'm the equivalent of a little baby- it's a whole different ball park than cooking. Finesse and artistry are not my strong points. So for perfectly round, beautifully decorated cake pops- I'm not sure- maybe traditional is better? Or so says THIS lady. But I had a very positive experience with the pans.
I tried a bunch of different combos for coatings but the two that worked the best were a Nutella ganache covered with coconut AND a white chocolate with homemade sugar sprinkles (find tutorial at bottom of the page for sprinkles).
I wanted to do a white chocolate/crushed peppermint combo but they weren't turning out as pretty because the crushed mint was too heavy for the chocolate and was dragging it off the pop. Also, I tried a chocolate/sprinkle combo but that didn't work because you couldn't see the sprinkles- the chocolate overwhelmed them.
TIPS
Tips for Cake Pop Pans
-Use a fudgey cake recipe or a dense brownie recipe. Something that will hold up to being dipped. The recipe found on this blog post is tested and works great.
-If you use a recipe that involves melted chocolate in the batter (like the one found on this page) WAIT until the batter cools down to fill the pans. Once it cools, it is sooo much easier to not overfill or have the batter ooze everywhere. You will spend less time trying to pick off excess cake to make your pop perfectly round (or in my case, heart shaped), if you just wait to fill your moulds till the batter is cool.
-Put your cake pops in the freezer once removing them from the moulds. Don't try to pick off excess yet- you will just tear your pop. Freezer for 30 minutes.
-Once your pops are cold and hard (not frozen solid though), now is the time to trim the excess off the sides. Just use your hands. Knives and vegetable peelers caused more problems than is necessary. Once your pops are cold and hard, the bits will just rub off in your hands.
Tips for Decorating Cake Pops
-I found the sticks would crack the cake pops if I just tied to push them in. But once I started poking a hole with a pointy skewer first, problem was solved.
-Dip the tip of the stick in the melted chocolate or ganache before putting it in the cake pop- will act as glue later.
-There is a delicate balance (hard to maintain) between too hot and too cold for your chocolate or ganache. Too hot and you will have dripping issues. It will be a race between you and the warm chocolate trying to cover the chocolate in sprinkles (or whatever) and putting it on parchment paper on a plate in the fridge before it drips off everywhere in a mess. Too cold and it won't cover smoothly. It's jut practise. Find that optimal temperature where you can dip your pop but it won't run off before you get it too the fridge.
-Use an extra stick to help remove the excess chocolate so you avoid as much dripping issues as possible- plus it's faster than waiting for it to run off itself.
-Dip your pop in the chocolate but not in the coating (in my case coconut and sprinkles). You have to pick the coating up in your hands and sprinkle it on.
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See all the excess? This was my first batch when the batter was still too warm. Don't try to take off excess till your cake pops are cold and hard- freezer for 30 mins!
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Finished Cake Pops
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RECIPES
Fudgey Cake Pop Recipe (like a brownie)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
24 lollipop sticks
toppings/coatings (I used a ganache and coconut, and white chocolate and sprinkles)
Directions:
Heat oven to 325F. Grease and flour cake pop pan.
In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter together. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and pour into medium bowl.
Add sugar and cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add flour and salt. Stir until blended.
Spoon batter into bottom half of pan (without holes) filling each well so it mounds over the top of the pan.
Place top half of pan on top and secure with keys. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out almost clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove cake pops from pan to a plate or bowl that you put in the freezer for 30 mins.
Prepare your toppings/coatings. Remember not to dip your pops in chocolate that is too hot. Always dip your stick into the chocolate before inserting it into the pop. Sprinkle your coatings onto your dipped pops- don't roll the wet chocolate in anything. Put on parchment lined pan/plate and put in fridge till coatings have set. Keep cold till serving.
Nutella Ganache Recipe
Ingredients:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (weigh if you can- if not it's about a cup)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soft butter, diced
1/3 cup Nutella
Directions:
Put chocolate chips and butter in a medium, heat proof bowl. Heat cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until almost boiling. Pour cream over chocolate and butter. Let sit a couple minutes and then stir till smooth. If your kitchen is super cold and the cream cools before it can melt the chocolate perfectly, pop in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Add Nutella to melted chocolate. Still till smooth. Wait till cooled and a little thicker (but still loose enough you can dip your cake pop into it).
Refrigerate left overs for 30-60 minutes and then take teaspoon size pieces, roll into balls and coat in leftover sprinkles, coconut, whatever. Voila- truffles!
Homemade Sugar Sprinkles Recipe
Note: Anyone else hate the store bought nasty sprinkles? So chemically tasting! These are delightful.
Ingredients:
sugar (whatever size crystals you desire for your sprinkles- I used a coarse cane sugar)
food colouring
Directions:
Set your oven to as low as it gets- for me it was 170F. Mix sugar and a drop or two (to start) of food colouring in a bowl. Mix till sugar is coated and add more colouring till you get what you want. Spread on parchment lined pan and bake for 10 minutes. Once cooled, break up and use as you desire.
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