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!!!*****

 

[swim4life]

I've never made or even tasted a cake ball, but they sound fun.  As far as keeping the chocolate the

right temperature, my husband is a chocolatier and we have a tempering machine that keeps the chocolate at precisely

the right temperature.  We usually use Callebaut Belgian chocolate, white, dark and milk when we make chocolates.  But it's May in Memphis, and the house is so hot and humid already.  All I can say, is if you're melting the chocolate on the stove top or in the microwave, keep it at an even temperature if you can.  Maybe a double boiler would be easier??

  Or, find a friend with a tempering machine and see if you can bribe them with 5% of your finished product!  :)

[Dor(Navy/ArmyNatGrd/AirForce)Mom]

I was going to use the Bailey's in the crumbs and still dip them in something or roll them in powder suger?// I figure the Bailey's would substitute for the creamer adn be less calories, right??

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

swim, I am a self taught chocolatier and I too have tempering machines. I used to have a retail chocolate shoppe and hand made all the chocolates we sold. It was so much work, but I loved it. I started making chocolates again with Easter this year after not making any for over a year. I have three tempering machines on our counter and they are always ready to go. I have used "Chocoley" chocolates over the years, they are the best I have ever tasted. It is a company out of GA. This company's chocolate has always been the favorite when we did taste testing in the shoppe.

For those that don't have tempering machines, you can still do chocolates. Use a double boiler or melt them in the microwave. I have also used a electric fry pan with water and aluminum bowl and it stays melted nicely. If using a microwave, remember to do half power at 30 seconds at a time so you don't "burn" your chocolate.

Dor, you can use any liquid with the cake mix. Add just enough to make to much like play dough consistency. I would take a Bailey's anytime! lol I will have to try some this way. I seem to be making more and more of them lately, that is how fast they are selling.

[Kat (MM Nuke)]

I just found this recipe.  It would totally make some great cake balls.

http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/jodie57/yummy-butterscotch-rum-cak...

[Mark]

No offense there ladies, but it takes some proper balls to really sample these babies - them likkered up ones sound purdy good ...

[nvmomma]

Where is that darn like button!? :)

[my3sons]

Good one Mark!!

[Kat (MM Nuke)]

So, I am hearing that cream cheese frosting is a great thing to mix with the cake crumbs moisten them and roll into the balls. Wouldn't that be good with carrot cake balls/bites?  Plus, thinning the chocolate coating with a table spoon of veggie oil at a time will help to make it a better and thinner consistancy so you don't get it too thick.

 

the person I know who makes them as part of her new bakery business has sent a lot of them to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and they love them.  I'm thinking at the very least that we all make them and send them to Goose Creek.  Wouldn't they all be amazed to find out that they are getting cake balls?  I wonder, would the cream cheese frosting go bad?  hmmmm, maybe we'd send them with some other sort of frosting or liquid in the mixture so it won't spoil.  And no liquors if they are under 21.

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

A few weeks ago (just after Easter) I sent cake balls to Goose Creek and heard they made if perfectly and were greatly enjoyed.  Also send dozens of brownies, oatmeal-white chocolate-cranberry bars and mini carrot cake cupcakes.  Nothing left but the crumbs shortly thereafter as they were shared among the sailors.  YAY!!

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

Okay, I went out to ebay and checked to see if there were any tempering machines - holey moley ....they range from $230 up to over $2000.00 !!!!!!  Guess I won't be getting any for my little jobs.  OMG

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

Penny, you don't need a "tempering" machine to do the chocolate. You can do it in the microwave or in a double boiler. I only have my tempers because of our shoppe. They cost over $1400.00 each, I love them and they are so easy to use. I don't always "temper" the chocolate, I also buy "compound" chocolate and that doesn't need to be tempered.

I have used cream cheese with one batch of cake pops and they were really good. People love them no matter how they are done, they just want more!!!!

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

Sharon, do you know off hand what temp chocolate needs to be at so that when one dips a cake ball into it it is neither too thin nor too thick?  I had heard somewhere in the 80s but not sure.  Seems I've never been able to get it thin enough to adhere...any thoughts?