Popcorn Cake Pops

Cake Pops, they are slowly popping up everywhere. They are so simple to make and you can let your creativity run wild.

Kitchenware Direct were kind enough to send me some cool moulds, candy dips and a book to get my creative juices flowing. The book called Pops, Sweets on a Stick, gives you tonnes of different ideas on how to make all sorts of different cake pops.

One that caught my eye was the Popcorn Cake Pop. It looked like so much fun to make and all I really needed was some marshmallows to turn a simple cake pop into Popcorn.

Popcorn Cake Pops

Makes 13 -15 Cake Pops

Ingredients

150g Packet Oreos

2 tablespoons Light Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 Packet White Mini Marshmallows

1 Wilton Pops Candy Dips in White

Yellow chocolate food colouring (powder form)

You will also need:

13 – 15 Paper Lollipop Sticks (15cm in length)

Styrofoam block

1. Using a food processor, blitz the Oreos until they resemble fine cookie crumbs.

2. In a medium bowl, add the Oreo cookie crumbs with the 2 tablespoons of cream cheese. With a spatula, combine the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until it holds its shape.

3. Roll a teaspoon of the mixture into a ball and gently indent a side. This will make the Popcorn shape. Once you finish rolling all of the mixture into cake balls, set them aside in the fridge to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Microwave the Candy Dips for 2 minutes or until completely melted. Add about half a teaspoon of yellow food colouring and stir until combined.

5. Remove the cooled cake balls from the fridge. Dip about half a centimetre of the lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert into each cake ball.

6. Take a cake pop and stick marshmallows all around the bottom, using the chocolate as the glue, making sure to squash and pinch each marshmallow to make it look like popcorn. Put the cake pops into the freezing for a minute to set.

7. Remove the cake pops out of the freezer and dip each one in the chocolate to coat. Gently tap the excess of the Popcorn Pops and put it on the Styrofoam block to set.

If you are interested in making your own Cake Pops, make sure to check out the Cake Pops section at Kitchenware Direct. You will find everything you need to make your very own Cake Pops to impress. 

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Mini Goat's Cheese Tarts

As I walk from the station to work every morning, I always make time to stop at the Gourmet Supermarket at Greenwod Plaza. They have rows of homemade pates, local jams, sauce and goats cheese.

Goat’s cheese is one of my favourite cheeses. Its soft and tangy, it also goes with just about anything. These Goat’s cheese tarts are simple and moreish.

Mini Goat’s Cheese Tarts

Makes 4 mini tarts

Ingredients

1 sheet of puff pastry

2 large free-range eggs
150ml thickened cream

¼ cup of goat’s cheese

1 teaspoon of dried oregano or parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Optional: caramelised onions and more goats cheese for topping

 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (338°F).

2. Cut the puff pastry into 4 squares and line 4 mini tart pans with the pastry. Gently dart the pastry with a fork. Line with wax paper and weigh it down with some pie weights. Blind bake for 10 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. Set aside while you make the filling.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, oregano or parsley. Crumble the goats cheese into the mixture and fold in. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour an even amount of the mixture into the 4 blind baked pastry shells.

5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when you insert it through the middle of the tart.

6. Serve the tart topped with caramelised onions and more crumbled goats cheese.

Tips: Make sure to use free-range eggs. Fresh farm eggs work best. They are a lot tastier and the colour is more vibrant.

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Chocolate Cake with Fresh Cream and Mixed Berry Sauce

Ok so I admit it, I use pre packaged cake mix. I love to make my own cakes but sometimes time gets the better of me and when I need to make something quickly I resort to good ol cake mixes. I honestly don’t see anything wrong with it. There are some delicious mixes out there. You just have to look for it.

At the Good Food & Wine Show in Sydney, I found just that, I saw a crowd at the La Cour Patisserie Stand and headed over there. I met Natalie, who has developed a range of sweet cafe treats for people to make at home. Her products are preservative free and have no artificial flavours. That instantly won me over, and I ended up going home with 3 cafe style treats to make at home.

So here is my version of a quick Chocolate Cake, this took me all of 10 minutes to prepare.

Chocolate Cake with Fresh Cream and Mixed Berry Sauce

Ingredients

1 x Double Layer Chocolate Cake Baking Kit

1 cup of frozen mixed berries

¼ caster sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup thickened cream

Method

1. Make the cake as per the instructions on the box. Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating

2. In a saucepan, add the caster sugar, berries and lemon juice over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the berries start to burst. Try not to over cook the sauce. You want the berries to retain their shape.

3. Whip the cream until stiff peaks and set aside.

Assembling the Cake

1. Take the 2 chocolate cakes and trim the tops to make them even.

2. Fold the whipped cream with half of the berry sauce. Put the cream on top of the first chocolate cake.

3. Put the second chocolate cake on top of the cream. Gently press the cake down.

4. Ice the top layer with the Chocolate Icing and serve on a pretty cake stand.

This cake is deliciously decadent and addictive. I recommend it to anyone looking to impress friends and family with a dessert that looks like it took hours to make.

If you want more information on Natalie's delicious range of sweet treats or if you would like to order just go to her website La Cour Patisserie

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