NUKE MOMS HAVE BALLS! (Cake Balls, that is!)

[swim4life]

Okay, this discussion is for ANY NUKE Mom/wife/gf/partner/family member that has a recipe, tip or

real life experience with balls.  Now, stop that!  I'm talking about CAKE BALLS.

  Feel free to add a link, favorite website, favorite list of liquors to use, pictures of projects, etc.

                   *****THIS IS ALL YOURS, SO HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!*****

 

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

Hi Penny, sorry I am a bit late in responding. The chocolate needs to be between 96-98 degrees for it to work well for you. You don't want it hotter or cooler than that, it will cause you problems. If you can keep it at a steady temp, it will work great for you.

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

Okay, I am working on my cake balls for the final photo shoot and judging contest !!!!  hahahahaha  Made funfetti dipped in white chocolate and strawberry dipped in dark chocolate.  Turned out okay.  Everybody said they were delicious so that's what counts.  Wondering who all is in on the cake ball making venture?

[Kat (MM Nuke)]

What did you end up mixing into the cake crumbs Penny?

I'm going to make some more after the ones I just made this weekend are all gone.  Don't want to have too much laying around for us to eat them. ha.  I am going to have to exercise every single day now, rather than just every other day.

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

I am trying out possibilities for the funfetti cake balls since I have been asked to make 400 of them for a wedding in July.  The bride wants simply funfetti with white chocolate on the outside so my first try at it was simply a funfetti cake mix (won't do that again as the batter does not turn out white, instead it appears more greyish) and then mixed in 1/2 tub of vanilla frosting.  For the wedding I think I'll make a homemade silk meringue buttercream.  Then dipped in a white chocolate ganache I picked up from a local grocery store's bakery dept.

 

For the strawberry, I mixed up a strawberry cake mix, stirred in the other 1/2 tub of vanilla frosting and then added in the extra white chocolate ganache I had left over from dipping the funfetti balls.  Ended up that people would get little morsely bites of the white chocolate and they loved it.  Then those I dipped in the Chocolate Truffle Ganache that I also picked up from a local bakery in a grocery store.  These ended up being the favorite at our big celebration welcoming my son home from A-school as well as his 23rd birthday which was this past Thursday.

 

I don't have the chocolate tempering thing down pat to where I get just the right amount on when dipping  - not too thick and not too thin. Maybe next time I'll try real chocolate and see if I can get it right but hate to waste the chocolate or ruin a good cake ball.

[Maddie]

Although I have made these several times, I still have to try them.  People who try them say they're good but with all the stuff that go into it, I'm scared to try one. I do love a good chocolate---after all, they keep the Dementors away---but the cake, the frosting and the chocolate coating, it just seem too much in one little bite-size piece.  (that's probably the dietitian in me talking.  LOL)

 

But I love to bake and these allow me to be creative so I'm always in the look out for ways to make them better.  I have used the candy melts mostly cuz I find them easier to work with.  I really wanted to get one of those plug in types to melt chocolate (like fondue makers) but reviews are not all that good.  If anyone has suggestions on how to make this process simpler, do tell.

 

And yes, the most important part is chilling the balls prior to dipping.  If not adequately chilled, the balls just disintegrate in the melted chocolate and make a complete mess. 

 

I look forward to reading more suggestions on this.  Good thread, swim!

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

bahaha. "They keep the dementors away" :)

P.S. I love those cake balls on the ice cream cones. They look delicious!! :)

[Maddie]

I made these for my 5 year old nephew's birthday last month; cake balls atop mini ice cream cones.  Could have picked a better colored coating but I used what I had on hand.

[swim4life]

soooo cute!  what a great idea!  please send me a dozen right away.. :)

 

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

For those that don't have chocolate tempering machines, you can still make great chocolate and cake pops. All you need is some candy melts as they are called. You can buy them in Michael's, Joanne Fabrics, Meijer, Wal-Mart stores. You can either melt them in the microwave at half power for 30 seconds at a time so it doesn't burn or you can use an electric skillet. Place water in the skillet with your bowl, alumimum bowl and once the chocolate candy melts are melted turn your temp down to low and this works very well. This is the way that I have done chocolates for years until I bought our tempering machines for our retail shoppe. I have been making chocolates for over 30 years, self-taught and still continue to learn.

Now, I am off to make a bride-to-be a special cake pop arrangement!!! I'll be back later tonight as I will also be doing baseball conessions for the double header games this afternoon! Happy Cake Pop making!! Oh, I am doing chocolate with chocolate frosting dipped into white, milk and dark chocolates decorated with red and black sugars as these are her colors. Then I will place them in a small flower pot that I bought at the dollar store, wrap it in plastic with a ribbon and it is ready to go. My friend ordered it for a friend of hers that is getting married in July. Heck, who knows where this will lead. Not sure if this bride-to-be has decided on her cake or not. Hmmmm............ So,  I will take photos and post on Sym's Chocolates on FB.

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

Ladies!!!! I have posted pictures of the awesome "Mini Cupcake" cake Pops and the "Africa" shaped cookies on Sym's Chocolates!! Take a look and tell me what you think! Thanks!!!

[swim4life]

Sharon, could u give me the link or website address again?

thanks!

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

Hi swim!! It is Sym's Chocolates on Facebook.