Cake Pops Made Easy

Wow your friends at the next spring or summer gathering with these almost-too-easy cake pops, sure to delight everyone!

Ingredients:

·    9X13 chocolate cake, prepared from cake mix

·    1 can chocolate frosting

·    2 boxes Baker’s premium white chocolate

·    cake pop sticks (available at craft stores or online retailers)

·    Sprinkles, colored sugar, writing icing, or other decorative supplies

Directions:

1.    Crumble cake into a large bowl until crumbs are fine and granular

2.    Add chocolate frosting a little bit at a time until cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yet still slightly crumbly. Use your hands to blend frosting into cake crumbs

3.    Use a mini ice cream scoop, melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out cake mixture. Roll into tight ball approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter and place on plate. Repeat until all the cake mixture has been rolled into balls.

4.    Melt 2-4 ounces of white chocolate in microwave, following instructions on package.

5.    Dip tip of cake pop sticks into the white chocolate and insert into the cake balls about halfway

6.    Freeze for about 20 minutes. While waiting, prepare all of your decorating supplies

7.    Melt the remaining white chocolate in a large cup. Make sure you have enough chocolate to completely submerge the cake balls

8.    Remove cake balls from freezer

9.    Dip cake balls carefully into the white chocolate until covered

10.  Allow excess white chocolate to drip off. Swirl and tap gently if needed

11.  Add sprinkles or colored sugar while the white chocolate is still wet. It will harden quickly

12.  Stick the decorated cake pop into a styrofoam block to finish setting. Place into the freezer to speed up setting time. If desired, decorate with writing icing

13.  Store in a single layer, in an airtight container

Makes approximately 36 cake pops

Chocolate Truffle Tarts

Every week I bring you a video recipe and this week I'm in the Jenn-Air kitchen at Contract Appliance to share my favorite dessert, Chocolate Truffle Tart. Don't be intimidated by fresh pie dough, watch my video for tips on how to make, roll and fill pie dough. With a little practice you might find that making pies and tarts to be your go-to dessert.

• 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 large egg yolk

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.

To prepare tart shell: On a lightly floured work surface; roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Using a large spatula, place into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing slightly to cover the bottoms and sides. Trim the dough to be flush with the rim and chill for 10 minutes.

Cover shell with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights blind-bake in the oven until pale golden brown, about 15 minutes, and allow to cool.

To prepare tart filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and milk and place on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Using a whisk, stir until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk in the egg with the egg yolk and then whisk in 1/2 cup of the chocolate cream. Thoroughly whisk this custard mixture into the chocolate cream in the saucepan.

Transfer the filling into the prepared tart shell and bake until set around the rim but still slightly jiggles in the center, about 30 minutes.

PIE DOUGH
It’s as easy as 3 2 1

• 3 - Part Flour
• 2 - Part Butter
• 1 - Part Water

This technique is based on a ratio of twice as much flour as fat by weight. The fat is rubbed into flour to create a loose mixture that is then bound using a small amount of ice water, rolled out, then shaped and placed to create the top or bottom of a tart or pie. Using butter adds flavor while using lard ensures optimum texture.

Have a cooking or baking question? Leave it in the comments section and Chef Mark will get back to you!