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Megans Cookin: Cheesecake Pops!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Cheesecake Pops!

These cheesecake pops are another Daring Baker challenge winner!
First, I'm a procrastinator. I didn't even make the cheesecake until the day before the posting date. Next months challenge will be done much sooner in the month. I'm still in the middle of this challenge! I only have a few pops dipped. Tomorrow, I'll go get a few more decorating goodies and finish up. I hope to make a few people happy on Monday!


The cheesecake itself was wonderful. The creamy dreamy center of these pops start out as 5 blocks of cream cheese. It comes together really easy with just a few ingredients and I baked it in a 9 inch round pan. I was lucky it all fit in the pan. It came to the very top but never spilled over! It took 70 minutes to bake compared to the 35-45 minutes the recipe stated.


After a long rest in the fridge, I scooped half the cake into balls. Then it was into the freezer before a hot dip into the melted chocolate. Coconut and sprinkles were the decorations I had in the pantry. I also used colorful plastic appetizer forks for my sticks. The other half I'll make tomorrow will have lollipop sticks.



Crushed cookies, chopped nuts and graham cracker crumbs are a few things I'll use for the rest of the pops. Some will be dipped in white chocolate and all fussed up, but for now, this is all I have.


Thanks to Deborah of Taste and Tell and Ellie of Feeding My Enthusiasm for hosting this challenge and picking a recipe that's sure to put a smile on every ones face. I cant wait to share!


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. (More like 70 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.




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36 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I did the same...:( I was up until 2 a.m. finishing up. Funt hough, weren't they?

April 27, 2008 at 8:00 AM  
Blogger glamah16 said...

I cant see you pictures? Im sure they look great. Will check back or refresh.

April 27, 2008 at 8:24 AM  
Blogger Nemmie said...

Lots of fun, and lots of work I agree! I can't see your pics, but will check back later to take a peek again. I'm sure they are gorgeous!

April 27, 2008 at 9:03 AM  
Blogger Shelby said...

Can't wait to see the pops!

April 27, 2008 at 9:41 AM  
Blogger Deborah said...

I'm glad you got to them! I'm usually a total procrastinator, but I've been early the last 2 months. We'll see if I can do it again next month!

April 27, 2008 at 9:54 AM  
Blogger Helene said...

Can't see the pictures but I trust you that you are doing beautifully. Maybe uploading them again will work.

April 27, 2008 at 11:59 AM  
Blogger Megan said...

Thanks everyone. It was wierd. I could see the pictures on my laptop, my home computer and my work computer but I guess noone else could see them. I reloaded them and I hope their visible now. On to making more pops!

April 27, 2008 at 12:28 PM  
Blogger BC said...

How did you fit that entire recipe in a 9 inch pan? I put half of it into a 9 inch pan. You are amazing!

April 27, 2008 at 1:17 PM  
Blogger Jen Yu said...

Great job on the cheesecake pops! I love your appetizer forks - brilliant idea :) Beautiful too.

April 27, 2008 at 2:27 PM  
Blogger Laurie said...

Hi Megan! :)
Awesome job! I like that you used coconut. I think cream cheese and coconut go great together. Another job well done!

April 27, 2008 at 2:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the appetizer forks! So smart! I can't believe the cheesecake didn't over flow, lucky you. I wish I had baked mine longer. Nice job this month!

April 27, 2008 at 3:22 PM  
Blogger Christine said...

Great job! I love your pics!

April 27, 2008 at 5:23 PM  
Blogger Patsyk said...

They look great! Fantastic job!

April 27, 2008 at 5:27 PM  
Blogger Shandy said...

Your cheesecake pops look really Yummy! I know what you mean about procrastinating. This has been the first challenge in several months that I didn't wait till the last second. Shocking! Great job =D

April 27, 2008 at 5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Better late than never! The ones you got done look perfecto!

April 27, 2008 at 6:11 PM  
Blogger kellypea said...

Not to worry on the procrastinating. I'm a pro at that. I finished last night and took a few more photos in the morning light which is always better. Those cocktail forks are a terrific idea for this -- I'm getting so many good ideas from everyone. Nice pops!

April 27, 2008 at 7:06 PM  
Blogger Cakelaw said...

I think the appetizer forks look very festive - I like them. Wonderful looking pops.

April 27, 2008 at 7:29 PM  
Blogger Lunch Buckets said...

It's not procrastinating. It's time optimization. Or something like that. I made mine today. After I went to the store. :)

April 27, 2008 at 8:05 PM  
Blogger Melanie said...

Cool idea to use the appetizer forks! I think they look fabulous!

April 27, 2008 at 8:20 PM  
Blogger Gigi said...

I love the colorful little "forks" you used. I can't wait to see the rest.

April 27, 2008 at 8:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mmmm...coconut. Love it!

April 27, 2008 at 8:56 PM  
Blogger Bunny B said...

Mmm...looks great! Would love to try this :)

April 27, 2008 at 9:16 PM  
Blogger April said...

Your pops look great! Great job!

April 28, 2008 at 5:46 AM  
Blogger Jerry said...

I procastinated too! But they do look lovely!

April 28, 2008 at 6:47 AM  
Blogger stephchows said...

mmm they look delicious!!

I am also so excited about the chocolate I can't wait for it to come!!!! YUM!!

April 28, 2008 at 7:14 AM  
Blogger Sheltie Girl said...

You did a wonderful job on your pops. I love the cocktail forks...they are very fun and festive.

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

April 28, 2008 at 1:03 PM  
Blogger test it comm said...

Nice looking pops! I went with the coconut as well.

April 28, 2008 at 7:05 PM  
Blogger Jaime said...

great idea using the appetizer forks! so colorful :)

you HAVE to try the apple pie apple the next time you are at the RMCF! :)

April 28, 2008 at 8:12 PM  
Blogger Carla said...

I remember seeing these on TV, but I can't remember where. My friend had Food Network on in the background. Maybe it was on Unwrapped?? Anyway, send some over my way ;)

Also, I posted a picture for my PBJ cake. If you like PBJ sandwiches, you'll love this cake.

April 28, 2008 at 8:27 PM  
Blogger Sara said...

nice! i wanted to roll some in graham crumbs, but forgot to buy them.

April 28, 2008 at 10:12 PM  
Blogger Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Great looking pops! Very well done!

Cheers,

Rosa

April 29, 2008 at 5:57 AM  
Blogger Barbara said...

They turned out beautifully!

April 29, 2008 at 11:52 AM  
Blogger Lis said...

hehehe I've made many a challenge right at the deadline.. so has Ivonne. :D

I LOVE your idea of using the appetizer/cocktail sticks! perfect!!

xoxo

April 30, 2008 at 6:46 PM  
Blogger Suzana Parreira said...

Oh I love your lollipop sticks! I've used coconut too and it turned out delicious. Great job, Megan!

May 2, 2008 at 5:38 AM  
Blogger Gretchen Noelle said...

I love the colored plastic forks! I almost resorted to something like that! Great job with your pops!

May 6, 2008 at 6:09 AM  
Blogger Dolores said...

Amateur! (I'm proud to put the PRO in procrastinator, as evidenced by my tardy arrival here). Great job on your almost-late cheesecake pops. Hope you're well on your way to completing May's masterpiece.

May 14, 2008 at 11:22 PM  

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