Favorites-An outlet for all things related to food: 08/22/11

Monday, August 22, 2011

Cows and Cake Pops are my Passion

For those of you who know me well…you know that I have a HUGE sweet tooth.

Seriously, it is a bad addiction.

Ever since I was a young child I have had this obsession with sweets. I cannot resist anything that includes butter, sugar and cream. This fact is especially true if the treat contains peanut butter and/or chocolate. If either (or, better yet…BOTH) of these ingredients are added into the sweet…I am a goner.

Another fact about myself: I love presentation. This desire for good presentation can be identified in how I determine if I will return to a restaurant, coffee shop or any venue for that matter. I believe it is important for any place to possess good atmosphere. Then, it is an added bonus if the venue serves their food in a fun or interesting manner.

So, as a result of my love for sweets and my desire for good presentation, I couldn’t wait to learn how to make cake pops. It combines my obsessions for yummy sweets (especially chocolate) and my love for fun and unique presentation.

Thursday, I learned.

This little treat is pure goodness in your mouth…and it comes on a stick!

I made classic cake pops....

...and farm animal cake pops.

Now, you may be thinking: “farm animals. Why make farm animals?” Well, despite the fact that they are adorable…they are in honor of my “simple life” goal.

Charles Dickens once said, “cows are my passion. What I have ever sighed for is to retreat to a Swiss farm and live entirely surrounded by cows – and china”.

A Swiss farm that is surrounded by cows sounds pretty simple and pretty wonderful.

These cake pops are getting me as close to a Swiss farm and Swiss cows as I can.

Unfortunately, I am not in Switzerland…I am in Iowa. Consequently, I will be bringing these cake pops to church with me on Sunday. If any of you reading this blog attend my church--you can taste them at break! I personally think these little guys are delicious!

A Fun Little Idea: I made a few extra to give as gifts for a couple friends. These are perfect “I am thinking of you today” gifts!

So, if you have any celebration to plan, any desserts you need to provide, or anyone you want to give a simple little gift to: I highly recommend cake pops. They are simple to make…all you need is a little time and a few ingredients.

If anyone out there in blog-land would like Kristi Graves (my wonderful cake-pop instructor) and I to make you a batch (or two or three or more) of cake-pops…we would happily take orders.

Thank you, Kristi, for such a perfect afternoon of cake pop making!! You are a fantastic teacher and an inspiration!

http://itsthesimplelittlethings.blogspot.com/2011/05/cows-and-cake-pops-are-my-passion.html

Ladybug Cake Pops

One little Peanut I know turned 4 this week. Four. For real and she asked for a ladybug birthday cake. This auntie was so sad to be celebrating it from so far away and not making her cake this year. But my sweet little Peanut is heading this way in a couple of weeks and so sister came over for a cake pop fest and I practiced my ladybugs.

Sister made these ultra cute watermelon pops.

I've found that my favorite cake pops to make are the molded ones. They make take a little longer if you have a limited number of molds, but they require less precision, and looks so smooth and glassy when you all is finished.

Take these little cupcakes. You just use the little candy cup molds they sell at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, paint the candy melts into the mold, let harden in the fridge for about five minutes, and then press some cake pop mix into it. You round up the tops and then just dip the entire top half in another color candy melt. There's no shaping and little room for error. I like when something has minimal room for error.