Triple Chocolate Cake Bites, Cake Pops or Truffles? You Decide

Happy Friday! 🙂

Many of you are wondering how I make my cake pops, cake bites, and truffles different than others.  Well, the wait is over.  Here they are.  The triple chocolate balls I mentioned in one of my previous posts. Who wants one?

I can hear my friends and children say, “meeee”!!!!  They are crazy about these cake bites.  They’re silky and smooth you wouldn’t even notice that there’s cake in it.

My children and I had some fun time during the first snow storm this year.   I’m guessing we had about 8-10 inches on the ground at that time.  My children wanted to play in the snow, but we couldn’t get the screen door to open no matter how much we tried.   It was stuck.  The moisture in between the sliding track must have been frozen when the temperature dropped to zero the night before.

Accumulation of snow in progress.

We didn’t want to damage it, so we just stayed indoors.  I thought it would be fun to do a cooking show.  Little J helped out with making my very own homemade buttermilk quinoa pancakes while little A was our audience.  I mixed two batches for the week and used one this morning.  They could hardly wait to eat the pancakes.  I did all the talking while little J helped flip the pancakes.  Finally, the moment arrived.  They devoured the pancakes-no chance to take pictures.  😦

After breakfast, I thought of making something for a snack later on.  I thought of the pepperoni cheddar bread sticks I saw from  acupofthat.com and wanted to make it, but I was missing one important ingredient.  I had some leftover chocolate cake, so I made some cake truffles.  It’s a combination of carob and dark chocolate ganache, dark chocolate cake, and melted bittersweet chocolates.  You form them into a ball then dusted with dark chocolate cocoa powder and chilled for 10 minutes.  Viola!

To make it more fun and stylish, you can dip these truffles in melted chocolates then decorate them with any toppings you like and place them in fluted baking cups or on a stick.  I didn’t feel like doing all that work, so I kept it simple yet elegant enough to serve to a party.

Easter Cake Pops wrapped then tied with ribbons.

I had to hide them from my children and gave them two cake balls at a time or they would have gobbled them up in one sitting.

This is one of the many original recipes I created when cake pops were in trend.  The norm for making cake bites, cake balls or cake pops are using cream cheese or frosting for mixing.  Mine is mixed with ganache and melted chocolates.  I use white chocolate ganache or caramel with other ingredients when it comes to non-chocolate cake bites or cake balls.  These are so much better.  The balls don’t fall apart and you don’t have to worry about moisture.  I’ve made them many times and I haven’t experienced any problems refrigerated or not.  You can, however,  refrigerate these balls at least 10 minutes before serving if you so desire, but my friends and hubby preferred them at room temperature.  My children loved them chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes.   However you like them, they are absolutely decadent either way.  I’ll be updating my “About” page and share you some of my previous creations. 🙂

In the meantime, join me and let’s make these cake bites, pops or truffles.  Let’s make the ganache first.

Ganache for truffles

• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips ( I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Combine the chocolate and carob chips in a medium bowl or a sauce pan; set aside.
2. Add the cream and butter in a medium sauce pan and heat over medium-low heat. Simmer until the butter is melted.
3.  Pour the cream mixture into the bowl with chocolate and carob chips.  Let stand for 3-5 minutes.  Slowly stir until all chocolate and carob chips are melted.  Let cool to harden in room temperature; overnight is best.
4. If using a sauce pan, follow step two then turn off the heat.  Add the chocolate and carob chips and let stand.  Slowly stir until all chips are melted.

FOR CAKE TRUFFLES

• 1 cup firmly packed dark chocolate cake
• 1/4 cup ganache mixture
• 1 tablespoon melted Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips

FOR THE CAKE  BITES AND CAKE POPS

For smaller servings (10 balls)

• 1 cup firmly packed Dark chocolate cake,
• 1/4 cup of the prepared and hardened carob and bittersweet ganache

For larger servings (38-41 balls)

• 3 cups firmly packed freshly made or leftover dark chocolate cake,
• the entire ganache mixture (see notes)

Coating:

• 2 cups Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips for 10 balls
• 1 1/2 -2 packages (15-20 oz.) of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips for 38-41 balls

Directions:

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1. For the melted chocolates (coating), add about 1/3 of water in a medium pot and heat over medium-low heat.
2. Add the chocolate chips in a double boiler and place it on top of  the pot with water.  Turn the heat to low and let the chips melt stirring from time to time.  Let cool.
3. For the truffle mixture, combine the ganache and crumbled cake in a stand mixer and gradually beat in low speed (#1 to 2) until well-combined about 2-3 minutes or so depending on how much you are working with. For a smaller mixture,  just use a spoon to combine.
4. Scoop half tablespoonful of the truffle mixture and roll to form a ball.  Do the same with the remaining mixture.
5. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator.  Working one at a time, remove one ball and poke with a wooden pick  in the center and immediately dip in melted chocolates making sure the ball is completely coated.  Remove and let drip.  Gently tap your wrist to remove excess.
7. Place in a tray lined with wax paper.  Remove the wooden pick by using another pick to hold the coated ball in place.  Twist the wooden pick attached to the ball then pull to remove.
8. Dab some melted chocolates to fill the hole by using a wooden pick.
9. Decorate with your favorite sprinkles, fondant or gum paste miniature flowers or any decorations you prefer while the coating is wet.
10. Let the chocolate completely harden at room temperature  then  transfer the decorated balls into the mini fluted baking cups.
11. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before serving or you can serve them at room temperature.

Enjoy them with your loved ones, best friend or just by yourself.  Mm…mouth-watering!

Oh, so decadent and chocolatey!

UPDATE:

I made these cake bites or truffles again and my friends loved them so much that one of them asked me to make some for her family.   She told me that they didn’t last long.  “They were that good”!

Simple but original design using sprinkles and homemade fondant and sugar flowers.

*Notes:  

• You can get your children involved and have fun decorating the balls.
  
• Make sure the cup is firmly packed with the chocolate cake, otherwise, it will affect the consistency of the truffle mixture.
• If you can’t find any carob chips, you can use regular chocolate chips.
  
• You can also decorate the balls with sprinkles as soon as they’re coated with melted chocolates. Wait for a few seconds or until the coating hardens a little bit then place in fluted baking cups.  Let it harden a bit more before removing the wooden pick (I find doing it this way is better than removing the pick while the coating is wet. The hole is smaller).  Then follow instructions #8.
• If you happen to leave the ganache longer and it seems dry, don’t panic, just add some melted chocolates one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency then mix.  Problem solved.
• Don’t torture yourself and wait for hours for the ganache to harden.  Make it the night before and leave  it overnight at room temperature.  That way, you’re ready to rock ‘n roll when you arise.
  

If you ever have any leftover cake, make some cake bites, cake pops, or truffles.  The best makeover for leftover cakes or cupcakes (without the icing).

This is all for now.  I hope you enjoy making these cake bites, pops or truffles as much as I did.  If you like this recipe or my blog, don’t forget to Subscribe or Follow to get the latest recipes.   Please be kind and link back to source when you use or share any of my recipes.  For commercial use, please be kind and mention my name or annascuisine.wordpress.com.  Thank you for stopping by.  Until next time.  Have a blessed week!

~Anna