Daring Bakers: Cheesecake pops
It’s time for another Daring Bakers challenge! The idea of the Daring Bakers is that every month one baking recipe is presented that all members have to follow exactly without any modifications except where specifically allowed. During the month we share our experiences and learn to be better bakers. The recipe, our photos and experiences are then officially posted on a specified day.
This month’s challenge was to bake Cheesecake pops from “Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey” by Jill O’Connor, and the recipe was picked by Elle from Feeding My Enthusiasms and Deborah from Taste and Tell. I love cheesecake but I didn’t find this specific cheesecake recipe to be the perfect one, but it was good. The recipe is straith forward and I didn’t encounter any problems. I did a half batch and ended up with 14 cheesecake pops. I added a bit lemon to the batter and I omited shortening in the chocolate. For coating I used different sanding sugars, chopped hazelnuts, chopped Toblerone and chopped Daim. The pops would be perfect for a party as they are so pretty and as they are so sweet (depending on chosen coating) one is enough to eat. A tip would be to make a few pops next time you have some left over cheesecake.
Cheesecake Pops
Makes 30 – 40 Pops
5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)
Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) – Optional
Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.
Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.
When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.
Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.
Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.
April 27th, 2008 18:20
You did a fabulous job on your cheesecake pops. They look simply beautiful.
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
April 27th, 2008 19:06
Beautiful work ! So festive and dainty. Its amazing all the variations of cheesecake and decorating out there.
April 27th, 2008 19:14
Delightful pops! They look perfect for a party!
April 27th, 2008 19:16
What a great idea on using leftover cheesecake for the pops! Great job!
April 27th, 2008 19:18
your cheesecake pops look wonderful! I just joined DB and will be starting with next months challenge! Im so excited!!!
April 27th, 2008 19:26
Wow, very nice pics and pops, of course!
April 27th, 2008 19:42
So cute! I love the bear shaped sprinkles.
April 27th, 2008 20:00
I love all of the different decorations you’ve used. They are beautiful!
April 27th, 2008 20:08
I like the long sticks..they look graceful
April 27th, 2008 20:34
I had to Google Daim to find out it was what we know here as a Heath bar — one of my very favorite candy bars. Your presentation is so festive. Good idea to make these pops with leftover cheesecake.
April 27th, 2008 20:36
Nice to see you back! your cheesecake pops look realy great! and congratulations on the house :)
April 27th, 2008 20:53
YOu make me wish I had not devoured my supply of Daims my mom brought me last February!! Am I seeing Moomims sprinkles?!! The pops look wonderful!
April 27th, 2008 21:30
wow! those are gorgeous!!! i love all the different decorations you used, esp one of my favorites – toblerone! :)
April 27th, 2008 21:37
These are adorable!! You did a great job!
April 27th, 2008 21:45
I love how vibrant your many toppings are, and the size you made your pops makes more sense than my huge ones. Nice job.
April 27th, 2008 21:55
Oh, I love all of the wonderful sprinkles you used – they are beautiful! Great job as always :)
April 27th, 2008 23:22
Those pops look like a party all by themselves!
April 28th, 2008 01:11
Gorgeous presentation, lovely pops!
April 28th, 2008 01:36
Your cheesecake pops look so beautiful. I love the skewers that you used for the stick and the ribbon to decorate them. All of the toppings look so delicious too!
April 28th, 2008 02:13
Wow! These are so darn pretty AND I love your photography. You are a real inspiration to me!
xoxox Amy
April 28th, 2008 02:21
ooooh….look at all those toppings all lined up. great cheesecake pops!
April 28th, 2008 03:08
Great looking lollies. I love your set up for making them. I got that part all fowled up.
April 28th, 2008 03:13
I love your photographs and the little teddy bear sprinkles. good job.
April 28th, 2008 03:23
beautiful job!
April 28th, 2008 03:25
Such beautiful pops! And I love your photos!
April 28th, 2008 03:25
Simply adorable! Great job on these cheesecake pops!!
April 28th, 2008 04:09
Wow… yours turned out fantastic! You have an amazing presentation…. I want to eat one just looking at your pictures!
xoxo
Michele
http://abigcupoftea.blogspot.com/
April 28th, 2008 05:18
Your pops are adorable, and your presentation is gorgeous!
April 28th, 2008 07:09
Lovely job! Sweet pics!
April 28th, 2008 07:10
Your pops look very pretty! I love the decorations… Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
April 28th, 2008 07:18
They’re beautiful, I love your photos :)
April 28th, 2008 08:56
absolutely lovely! J’adore
April 28th, 2008 09:21
I love all the different kinds of sprinkles you used. Truly inspiring!
April 28th, 2008 13:36
Thanks for all sweet compliments and comments!
Tartelette: I would love to have moomin sprinkles, the ones I used are just teddy bear shaped.
April 28th, 2008 15:16
I’ll have one with Toblerone please!
April 28th, 2008 16:07
They are beautiful, and it’s clear how much care you put into them. I admire people who can do this!
April 28th, 2008 16:10
Great variety and presentaion!
Toblerone, yummy!!!
April 28th, 2008 17:49
wow! everything is so beautiful and colorful :)
April 28th, 2008 18:26
I love your blog! This is right up my daughter’s alley…she’ll adore it, and the challenges!
April 28th, 2008 18:42
Popping out of lurker mode – I knew your cheesecakes would look adorable and was not disappointed. Lovely, just lovely.
April 28th, 2008 21:25
Dagmar these look so girlie like and colorful. Perfect ladies night treats I’d say. I could bring the cocktails if you make these for us again! Lovely!
April 28th, 2008 21:37
Dagmar, your pops look delightful…very pretty indeed :-)
April 28th, 2008 21:49
Love your sprinkes… so cute! Great job on the challenge!
April 29th, 2008 00:45
Absolutely adorable! Great job on the pops!
April 29th, 2008 00:46
Beautiful! Would look great for a baby or wedding shower!
April 29th, 2008 01:20
Soo cute! They turned out adorable, and the pictures are amazing! Great job!
April 29th, 2008 02:37
Very pretty pops! Great pictures too – I like the one with all the toppings.
April 29th, 2008 02:46
Such great and vibrant photos. The backgrounds make the lollies “pop…”
BTW, whenever I need a smile, I just pop onto your page…that kitty *always* makes me smile…
j
April 29th, 2008 03:05
You were ambitious. Look at all those colors! Great job.
April 29th, 2008 05:05
I loved your pops, especially the touch with the added ribbon. Very festive.
April 29th, 2008 15:37
Those look just lovely! well done on another succesful challenge! I just love those ribbons too – so creative
April 29th, 2008 17:01
They are amazing!!!
April 29th, 2008 18:08
Wonderful job!! So colorful and adorable!!
April 29th, 2008 20:28
toblerone coating = genius.
i didn’t participate this month, but i sure am digging all the posts!
April 29th, 2008 21:06
I wait all month to see how you’re going to approach the DB challenge and you never fail to amaze me. This month is no exception… your pops are precious.
I managed to let my tasters do the indulging and they agree with you; this is one dessert where one is enough… there is no call for a second helping.
April 30th, 2008 22:49
They turned out gorgeous!
May 1st, 2008 04:57
Yours are gorgeous! They look so tasty, I wish I could reach right into the screen and pull one out!
May 1st, 2008 23:33
Wow! I am practically licking the screen right now!!
I had some toblerone in the fridge, I wish I had thought about that!!!
Greetings!
May 1st, 2008 23:57
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Jasmine: I’m glad you like the cat!
Dolores: Now I’m all embarrassed and feel the pressure for next month :-)
May 2nd, 2008 14:01
Hiiiiiiiiiiiii ! the little bears are so cuuuuuuuute !!!!!
Your lollipops look very festive indeed ! congratulations :)
May 4th, 2008 22:53
Dagmar,
So very very pretty!
May 6th, 2008 04:57
Hi these look really good! Will they be really hard to make? Because I don’t have much baking experience but I want to bake these for my mom on mother’s day. Please reply asap :)
May 6th, 2008 08:45
Crystal: It’s quite simple. Make sure to read through the recipe several times before you start. And check out all the other Daring Bakers experience with the recipe here: http://daringbakersblogroll.blogspot.com/
One thing I can remark on is that nobody’s cheesecake was done after 35-45 minutes. Most people had to keep i in the oven for at least an hour. good luck!
May 9th, 2008 21:37
These look fantastic! I found more recipes like this one (and great baking techniques and ideas) at oatmealcookie.typepad.com…it’s worth checking out.
May 11th, 2008 05:50
Dagmar: Hi Dagmar! Thanks for replying! I made these and they turned out great, if not a tad too sweet and it melted a bit when I was trying to eat them though. But still, tasty nonetheless! :)
June 8th, 2009 07:34
Great recipe. Thank you for sharing!
February 25th, 2010 11:03
Great recipe. So colorful and adorable.
May 27th, 2010 08:43
This recipes looks amazing. I can’t wait to bake it this friday during my weekly bake night!