Best 2 Christmas Pudding Cake Pops Recipes

CHRISTMAS PUDDING CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Pulse the madeira cake in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over just simmering water or in the microwave. Shop bought madeira cake can vary in texture so you may need to add a little extra melted white chocolate to make the mixture stick into balls. Stir the orange zest into the chocolate, then work the chocolate into the crumbs using your hands.
• Form into 10 small truffle-sized balls, then roll gently in your palms to smooth the surface. Arrange the balls on a baking parchment-lined dinner plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the mixture to set.
• Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or over a bowl of just simmering water. Dip a lolly stick into the melted chocolate about 1.5cm in and poke half way into a cake ball. Repeat with the remaining balls. Put them back on the plate. Return to the fridge for five minutes.
• Dip the cake pops one at a time into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off and spin the pops to even out the surface. Poke the pops into a piece of polystyrene or cake pop holder if you have one, keeping the pops apart. Allow to set for about half an hour.
• Heat the white chocolate in a microwave or over a pan of simmering water. Allow to cool for a few minutes until it has a thick, runny consistency. If the chocolate is too hot, it will melt the dark chocolate underneath so make sure you do not overheat it. Spoon a small amount on top of the cake pops and tip them back and forth so that it runs down the sides a little. If you have holly decorations, set one on each pop. If using writing icing, wait for another 20 minutes or so until the white chocolate has set. To avoid a bloom on the chocolate, cover the cake pops in chocolate on the day you want to eat them - or the day before at the earliest.
• Pipe on holly leaves with the green icing and two little dots for berries using the red. Once finished, store them in a cool place, though not the fridge

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT CAKE POPS WITH MIRROR GLAZE

Steps:

• For the cake pops: Prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions for a 9-by-13-inch pan. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and add the orange extract; stir to combine.
• When cool, crumble the cake finely into a large bowl and add the dried cranberries and orange-white chocolate ganache. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands until the mixture is very well combined, completely moistened and holds together when pinched.
• Using a 3/4-ounce scoop, scoop rounded mounds of the mixture and shape into balls and place on a baking sheet. You should have about 36 balls. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the white chocolate shell: Put the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and stir once more to make sure no lumps remain.
• Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate shell and stick halfway into a cake ball. Dip the entire cake ball in the chocolate shell, letting any excess drip off, then press the stick into the Styrofoam block to stand upright. Repeat with the remaining balls and sticks. Refrigerate the cake pops until completely chilled and set, about 1 hour.
• For the mirror glaze: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; stir and set aside 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan with the granulated sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve.
• Put the white chocolate chips in a large bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer on top. Pour the gelatin mixture through the strainer to catch any small lumps; remove the strainer. Let stand 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Tint with food coloring (divide the glaze in half if you are using more than 1 color), then let sit, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a thermometer registers 90 degrees F. Transfer to a tall, wide glass container (such as a wide-mouth mason jar) for easy dipping.
• Working one at a time, dip the cake pops into the mirror glaze to completely coat letting any excess drip off. Return to the foam board (it may continue to drip for a minute or two). Transfer to the refrigerator to set completely, about 1 hour. (Even after setting, mirror glaze stays sticky, so make sure to space the pops apart).
• Using a small, clean art brush, dust the peanut butter cups with edible gold pearl dust, then place one on top of each cake pop "ornament" (see Cook's Note). Keep chilled until ready to serve.