Cake Pops

[CelticOwl]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about Cake Pops. Is it better to use candy melts to cover the cake pops, or is it just as good to use melted chocolate? Is the chocolate strong enough to keep the cake pops falling off their sticks?

I live in outback Australia, and the shipping costs for candy melts is a nightmare! I'm planning to make about 400 cake pops for a fundraising event and I'm keen to know what works best (before purchasing 4 kilos of chocolate melts!)

Thanks

 

[tinlizzie]

First I'll apologize because this won't be a bit of good insofar as your question. But I just have to say how great it is to open up my computer in South Florida, USA, and find a question about cake pops (never heard of them, but sound like fun), from Outback Australia, from someone with the cool name of CelticOwl. How great is that???!!?? Let's hear it for the Internet! I'll watch with interest for answers from our ever-resourceful cooking community.

 

[Zhizara]

What's a cake pop? Welcome to DC. We have lots of bakers here, but we can help you better if you show us a recipe.

 

[natt12321]

I can't see why it wouldn't work with chocolate, if you use bakers choc/covering choc as opposed to the expensive stuff it sets pretty hard anyway.

I was planning on trying this also as I've not found a cheap way of getting candy melts either!

To those who asked, a cake pop is essentially reconstituted cake on a stick covered in candy melt so it looks like a lollipop. I was under the impression that they were an American phenomenon.... I seem to be wrong LOL. They've made it into Starbucks over here in the UK.

 

[jabbur]

I looked up cake pops and found this Cake Pops « Recipe Rhapsody
Looks like fun! Maybe I'll have to try these! Can you get almond bark locally or do you still have to have it shipped? I've tried chocolate chips to coat stuff but it seems like the consistency is not quite right for dipping. I usually have to add a little milk to chips to make it work and even then it doesn't always set up well. Good luck with your fundraiser!
http://reciperhapsody.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/cake-pops-2/

 

[Zhizara]

Ooo those look yummy!

 

[Aunt Bea]

I have not made these but, I do make a cookie that uses a coating made of 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 bar of paraffin melted in a double boiler.

 

[easycake]

I always like to use Vanleer chocolate and anytime i dip something i use Paramont crystals wich are hydronated palm kernal oil. it make sit smoother. I also put photoFrost designs on my cake pops to go along with the occasion.

 

[Josie1945]

I always like to use Vanleer chocolate and anytime i dip something i use Paramont crystals wich are hydronated palm kernal oil. it make sit smoother. I also put photoFrost designs on my cake pops to go along with the occasion.

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[Snip 13]

I just melt chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip them in that. Either milk, dark or white chocolate. You can also use a bit of edible wax mixed into the chocolate to make the coating more resistant to melting.
Then add small candies, sprinkles, coconut, nuts etc for decoration or just drizzle dark chocolate with white or white with dark after the coating has set.
You can flavour the chocolate with extract or essence to compliment the cake flavour your using.
I like adding apple, lemon or caramel essence to white chocolate with vanilla cake. Yummy! Hope some of this help

 

[SparkedIdeas]

Marshmallow pops

I experimented a bit with dipping marshmallows into melted chocolate (Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate Squares) versus brown candy melts. I found that the candy melt surface looked nicer than the chocolate. The chocolate coating looked more uneven and had a non-shiny finish whereas the candy melt looked shiny and smooth. Also, the candy melt coating look nicer longer than the chocolate. I like the idea of using chocolate though because of the flavor so it's probably worth exploring this alternative more.

Sparked Ideas

 

[larry_stewart]

Best cake pops I ever had were called " Elvis Pops". A banana cake covered with a Peanut Butter coating. The outer coating appeared to be peanut butter chips melted with white chocolate, and held together beautifully.

 

[Karolina]

Hey there,
Ive never used just melted chocolate to coat my cake pops, only Wilton Melts, my only problem is that the melts get very thick and makes it impossible to coat the cake pops with out making a gigantic mess!

Everyone says to use those paramount crystals, i tried and nothing changed? not sure if maybe i didnt use enough or if i was meant to add it before the candies melted? so confusing!!

Then ive seen people suggest to use Crisco all vegetable shortening but in Australia you cant find that anywhere? does anyone else know of something i can use to thin the melts out??

please help!!

 

[menumaker]

Ok, I've worked with both and I found that the chocolate worked just fine. Use good quality 70% minimum dark and/or the best white you can find. You need to work fairly quickly, keeping the chocolate flowing and if you use a teaspoon then dribble a bit onto the join of stick and cake, if you see what I mean to 'seal ' it. I will try to show the photos of my efforts. The big cake was for our big party back in the summer which I posted at the time and the little ones were for Christmas. These were the ones I used chocolate on.

 

[bakechef]

Hey there,
Ive never used just melted chocolate to coat my cake pops, only Wilton Melts, my only problem is that the melts get very thick and makes it impossible to coat the cake pops with out making a gigantic mess!

Everyone says to use those paramount crystals, i tried and nothing changed? not sure if maybe i didnt use enough or if i was meant to add it before the candies melted? so confusing!!

Then ive seen people suggest to use Crisco all vegetable shortening but in Australia you cant find that anywhere? does anyone else know of something i can use to thin the melts out??

please help!!

Wilton are known to be bad, too thick even when melted. If you have a brand called Merckens those are the best. We also have a brand called Make 'n Mold that are very very similar to Merckens.

You could always go the real chocolate route, but you'll have to temper it, or it will start looking all cloudy and gray (cocoa butter separating) in no time.

 

[Karolina]

Wilton are known to be bad, too thick even when melted. If you have a brand called Merckens those are the best. We also have a brand called Make 'n Mold that are very very similar to Merckens.

You could always go the real chocolate route, but you'll have to temper it, or it will start looking all cloudy and gray (cocoa butter separating) in no time.

Thankyou for the advice, ill see if i can get my hands on merckons if not some make 'n mold!!