Christmas Pudding Chocolate Cake Pops and A Cake Pop Maker Giveaway

Friday, November 30, 2012

Christmas Pudding Chocolate Cake Pops and A Cake Pop Maker Giveaway

Christmas Pudding Chocolate Cake Pops

Hello Beach Dwellers

Today we are talking cake pops. Let me tell you there's an easy way to make cake pops and a hard way. And you guessed it, I found out the hard way of course. You may remember these ones I made for my the Beach House Brat's birthday party. There were only 6 little girls present. I was going to make two each, but I struggled to make it to 7. Making the pops was fine, but I struggled to keep them on the stick and had problems with the chocolate running off because it was too hot. They looked OK and were very yummy, but I had to rest them on their bottoms, because gravity was against me and they kept sliding down the stick. The ribbons saved the day, making them look very pretty, but the effort to wow factor ratio was high and I did wonder whether I'd ever bother again.

Roll forward several months and it was kind of like having a baby. I forgot everything and jumped right back in.

I received this cake pop maker from Kambrook, and lets just say, you may be seeing a whole lot more cake pops on this here old blog. This machine and the hot tips in the Kambrook instruction booklet, like 'adding a little vegetable oil to the chocolate melts', really helped to make the cake pop experience much more pleasant indeed.

The Kambrook booklet also provides lots of cake pop recipes which are simple. The pops take about 5-6 minutes to cook. The cake pop sticks provided, (24) are washable and reusable. The pops turn out perfectly and any residue easily breaks off. The pan is non stick and just needs a thorough wipe over between batches, so the next batch does not stick.

The pops are best covered in chocolate melts, with a good teaspoon of vegetable oil mixed in. This will make the chocolate easier to work with as it cools. Before you start, make sure the chocolate is not too hot, other wise it will just slide off the pop.

Prick your cake once it has completely cooled on a wire rack, with the sticks provided.

Hold the pop over the chocolate bowl and use a spoon to drizzle it with chocolate, gently shake off any excess chocolate and place in the stand to dry.

Dipping the balls into the bowl is a no no, as it may lead to them falling into the chocolate and a God awful mess.

Whilst they are drying, make your plum pudding decorations. I used red smarties and jelly babies roughly cut to the shape of a leaf.

Allow the first coat of chocolate to completely dry. Meanwhile fill a clip lock plastic bag with melted white chocolate (again the melts are the best). Squeeze the chocolate into one corner of the bag. Snip the tinniest corner from the bag and pipe a good dose of chocolate onto the top centre of your pop. It should run down the sides by itself. Place the lollies on top, which will assist in making the white chocolate run down the sides for effect as well.

This was a shot I took when I made chocolate crackle plum puddings last holiday season.

As you can see, a generous amount of white chocolate is fine.

And the cake pop recipe I used from the Kambrook book.

Chocolate Espresso Cake Pops

Makes 24

3/4 cup plain flour sifted

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

50 ml/ 1.5 fl oz milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

50 mls/ 1.5fl oz freshly brewed espresso ( I used strong instant coffee)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the decorations

200g/7oz milk choclate melts, melted according to the directions on the pack and cooled slightly

100g/4oz white choclate melts, melted according to the directions on the pack and cooled slightly

24 red smaties or other red circular lolly

Green jelly babies cut to a small triangle to form leaves

1. Preheat cake pop maker in the closed position, until the light illuminates

2. In a bowl mix all ingredients with a whisk until combined.

3 Add a heaped teaspoon of the batter to each cake pop well and close the lid for 5-6 minutes

4. Remove using heatproof tongs and place onto cake rack to cool completely, before decorating as described as above.

As there are 12 wells it's important to thoroughly wipe out the cake pop maker between batches to avoid sticking. I used baby wipes. Be careful not to burn yourself

Now for the best bit, I am giving away a Kambrook cake pop maker to an Australian reader of Desire Empire.

All you need to do to enter this giveaway, is follow Desire Empire on one or more of the following platforms:

Google Friends Connect (over in my side bar)

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram @desireempire

Google +

Leave a separate comment for each follow, even if you have for some time.

Sharing this to each of your social media platforms will constitute another entry. Leave me a separate comment for each share.

And good luck

For all my other Christmas baking and craft projects go here.

This competition is now closed. The winner is

Rebecca Senyard

Giveaway Terms and Conditions
This competition is open to entrants living in Australia only.
This competition is open from now until 7 December 2012 12pm Australian EST.
The winner will be announced on this blog, Face Book and Twitter and I will contact you, as long as you have left a valid means. You have 5 days to respond, otherwise the prize will be redrawn.
I was not paid to write this post, but I received a cake pop maker to review. Clearly I liked it.