Happy Accident - Chocolate Orange Cake Bombs {Cake Truffles}

After my cake didn't come out as expected (see Cake Disaster) I physically stepped away from it; left it in a room and walked out. That is how mad I was at it. Ridiculous, I know. But it allowed me the time I needed to chill and approach it with a new look.

I first tried to get the top half of the cake out in one piece, but it kept crumbling. Which is when I thought what do you do with edible cake crumbs. Usually make cake pops. I didn't have any sticks so, I made Cake Bombs or Cake Truffles if you like.

So, to make these delicious cake bombs use the cake recipe in the previous post or any cake of your choice. If you are using the whole cake you will want to double this recipe of butter cream -

Cake Bombs

1/2 of chocolate orange marble cake
1 portion of butter cream (below)
 Dr. Oetker Easy Choc Milk or any chocolate melts in any color
sprinkles, optional

Beat together until just combined. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut. Put in the freezer, I left mine over night because of time reasons, but an hour should be enough time. Then melt your candy melts or Dr. Oetker Easy Choc according to the instructions given on the packaging. Dip each 'bomb' into the chocolate and leave to set, decorate quickly if using sprinkles or other decorations.
Once set you can enjoy at any time!

Vanilla/Orange Butter Cream

250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange extract

Place everything into the bowl of a mixer or a medium bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.

Life doesn't always turn out how we expect it too, neither does cake. I could have easily thrown it in the trash, I wanted too, I was so annoyed. But I managed to turn my cake disaster into a happy accident, whoever says cake is just cake doesn't understand baking at all.

Rice Krispie Heart Treats {Easy Valentine's Day Treats}

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about the showy lovey dovey stuff, it can be about the simple things that make you or the person that you are with happy! 

Rice Krispie Treats make me happy. They might not be something new or flashy, but they are made out of a crispy rice cereal, melted marshmallows, butter and everything good in this world. They have been made for years - since like 1939 or something? That’s a long time. 

The other reason these are great is because they can be shaped and manipulated into pretty much anything you want! I use my heart shaped donut pan and my heart cookie cutter to make these into hearts for Valentine’s Day! 

Then decorated them with red candy melts, I also used the candy melts to make heart candies from a random heart tray I had acquired from who knows where? It worked well though! If you rather not use candy melts, melted chocolate and/or sprinkles of varying colors and shapes would work well too! 

Rice Krispie Treats: 

50g unsalted butter

280g marshmallows

180g crispy rice cereal 

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract (optional) 

1 bag of red candy melts (optional) 

Butter heart shaped donut tin or line a tray bake tin with grease proof paper (make sure the paper over hangs the tin). 

Melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until completely melted. Add the vanilla extract if using. Then add half the cereal and stir to coat before adding the rest and mixing until completely mixed. Wear latex gloves or butter your hands a little so you can handle the mixture. Beware it will be hot/warm and hot sugar can burn. Shape to fit your donut and press down and/or in your baking tin do the same using the over hang of greaseproof paper to press down and even out the cereal/marshmallow mixture. Leave to set for at least 30 minutes to an hour, then gently release from donut tin or cut into hearts with a heart cookie cutter! Melt the candy melts according to the instructions on the package and drizzle over them how ever you’d like! Then eat them!! 

It is in my opinion that Valentine’s Day is the best day to indulge in things you love to eat and/or to make the things your loved one(s) like to eat too! If Rice Krispie Treats aren’t your thing here are a few other Valentine’s Day Treats you could try: 

Cherry Heart Pies via The Botanical Kitchen

Mini Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes via Tin and Thyme 

Chocolate Valentines Cookies {Dairy Free} via The Hedge Combers 

Raspberry-Rose & Pink Peppercorn Love Bites via Food to Glow 

A few of my past Valentine's Treats: 

Oreo Truffles

Oreo Pops

Cinnamon Roll Hearts (one of my most popular Pinterest pins ever!)

Baked Doughnuts (heart shaped) 

and another Rice Krispie recipe Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats (also heart shaped)

note: all images are used with the blogger(s) permission 

Chocolate Truffle Muffins - To Heal Broken Things

Update time. A week ago I missed the last step at the bottom of our stairs which I have done before and been fine. This time I feel straight down and made a noise that at the time I thought came from somewhere or someone else! Turns out I rolled my foot in such a way it swelled up and turned my toes purple. Yay!

Been hobbling around for about a week now and it’s slowly getting better. I am still working and chasing after my girls, but resting it as much as possible! It’s not like me to take things easy. It was all my sisters fault anyhow. Both of them were talking about their injuries and after chiding them for not being more careful I went and hurt myself. Typical!

So, to cheer myself up I made these chocolate truffle muffins. I mean how better to heal your foot by standing on it baking? Lucky for me muffins are super easy and quick and a great place to start baking. Forget cupcakes/fairy cakes when baking with kids get them to make muffins! In fact it’s a great idea for when hobbling about on a strained (possibly broken) foot.

Chocolate Truffle Muffins

200g dark chocolate
200g unsalted butter
200g self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons Food Thoughts cocoa powder
150g caster sugar
150ml milk
3 eggs
chocolate caramel bar (Mars) 4 snack size or 1 large, cut into 12 pieces

Heat the oven to 180C and line a muffin tin. Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan. Stir until melted and take off the heat. 
In a large bowl dry whisk the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and sugar together. In a measuring jug gently beat the eggs in with the milk using a fork until just combined. Pour into the dry ingredients along with the cooled chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Using a medium ice-cream scoop, scoop the batter into the lined muffin tin. Place a piece of chocolate bar in each one and gently press down with a spoon or something until submerged. Just don’t push too hard or it will sink to the bottom. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before eating so you don’t burn yourself on the melted chocolate middle.

notes: Food Thoughts sent me a sample of their finest organic 100% cocoa to try. Cocoa powder is something I always keep on hand in my baking cupboard as a baking staple! All opinions are my own, no other payment was received please see my contact/policy page for more information. Recipe inspired by Felicity Barnum-Bobb’s 100 Magnificent Muffins & Scones.

Oreo Poke Cake

Oreos are one of the best cookies to bake with. They make the best cheesecake and pie crusts! They also make amazing frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Not to mention they make the best truffles ever!

The other reason I hold a soft spot for Oreo’s is because my dad loves them.

He loves to have a couple with a cold glass of milk to dunk them in. It is hard being away from my family, even if I don’t talk about it much. When I snack on the occasional Oreo by first dunking it in milk and waiting until the count of 10 to let it get soggy (something I've done since I was a child) it always reminds me of my dad!

The last thing I made in the year 2014 had everything to with Oreos, which is why I am going on about them! The last thing I made was this Oreo Poke Cake. Which is little to no effort with a great reward.

Poke Cakes are essentially American because you use a box cake mix and Jell-O Instant Pudding. The latter not being readily available here in the UK. You could make both from scratch, but there is nothing wrong with taking a short cut especially when the outcome is super delicious!

When I was visiting my parents last summer I brought a few things back with me and surprise surprise one of them was a box of Oreo Cookies n’ Creme Jell-O Pudding! It’s been sitting in the cupboard staring at me and taunting me saying “Once you've made me you won’t have me anymore, so whatever you make with me better be good!”

Then one day when I was wasting time on Pinterest, poke cakes kept appearing. It was an obvious sign that told me to make a Poke Cake and to use my Oreo Jell-O pudding.

So, that’s what I did and I am glad I did! It was a big hit at our friends house on New Years Eve, everyone who tried it said it was amazing! 

Oreo Poke Cake

1 chocolate cake box mix (Betty Crocker Devil Food Cake Mix)

1 4.2oz (119g) box of Oreo Cookies n’ Crème Jell-O

1 pkg (157g) of Double Stuffed Oreo’s, crushed

First make the box according the instructions and with the ingredients listed. For the Betty Crocker Devil Food Cake you need 90ml vegetable oil, 250ml of water, and 3 medium eggs. Bake in a 9x12 Pyrex dish or similar, be sure to grease it first. The temperature, 180C/160Cfan/gas mark4, is still the same as is the time for baking 25 minutes.

Once the cake is out of the oven, mix the Jell-O pudding powder with 2 cups (American measuring cups) of cold whole milk. Once it’s mix make holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. I made mine in rows and columns. Then pour the slightly thickened Oreo pudding on top of the cake. The pudding should not be too wet and you don’t want it completely set so work quickly.

Sprinkle the crushed Double Stuffed Oreos over the top and press down gently. Leave for at least 10 minutes to let the pudding completely set. I like putting mine in the fridge because I like my pudding chilled.

notes: Interested in Oreo Truffles – check out my post! Jell-O pudding can be found on good American grocery websites. Yes, food things talk to me. Don’t judge. If you like this post and you are on Pinterest look me up! Follow me here!

Key Lime Truffles

It is a known fact that I bake less in the summer. 

If I happen upon a cooler day I tend to bake a lot, as a way to make up for the days that it’s just way too hot to bake.

Therefore I tend to rely on easy no-bakes for the warmer days/months. 

For example these truffles.

I have made Oreo truffles more then once and am always on the look out for different sandwich cookies/biscuits to try out.

Stuart from Cakeyboi has made truffles using Jaffa Cakes so there are plenty of possibilities out there! 

I tend to keep to the sandwich cookies/biscuits only because I like the way the crunchy cookie almost melts into the cream cheese. Recently Fox’s released a Taste’s of America range and it included Key Lime Pie Crunch Creams. 

I thought they would make a great truffle! 

And they do. That’s a fact.

I wasn't sure if the lime flavor would be strong enough, but it was perfect. It’s sad because these biscuits are probably not going to be around long, as they are a limited edition. 

So, if you are interested in these you should make them soon. If you do please let me know! Here is how I made them…

Key Lime Pie Truffles

168g Fox’s Key Lime Pie Crunch Creams

100-150g full fat cream cheese

a couple handfuls of candy melts (color of your choice)

sprinkles

Crush the cookies/biscuits; make sure there are no big bits. Mix in 100grams cream cheese if you feel it needs a bit more add it in. I like mine a bit creamier, but you should be able to make them without the extra 50grams just depends on your taste. Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture into a ball and place on greaseproof paper on a plate that fits in your freezer. Place in the freezer over night or for a few hours until hardened.

When they have been in the freezer long enough melt the candy melts according to the instructions. Take them out of the freezer stab with a fork and gently rock back and forth in the melted candy melts, pull out carefully and sprinkle with sprinkles before smoothly taking it off the fork and placing in a fairy cake case.

Candy melts harden fast, so be sure to sprinkle right away. Leave at room temperature before eating as they will be really cold after being in the freezer and they just aren’t that nice cold.

notes: Check out my Oreo Truffles! Fox’s Biscuits do not sponsor this post. There is not a picture of the inside, because it is pretty boring and not as pretty as the inside of Oreo truffles. 

image from Fox's Biscuits

A Holiday of Love {Oreo Truffles}

I have written in the past about how I’m not overly big on holidays. There are parts of holidays that I do enjoy and others I don’t.

It’s very conflicting actually. 

For instance, Valentine’s Day (today) I think it is an incredibly stupid holiday and probably the best of all the holidays.

I think it’s stupid that there is so much pressure put on couples to celebrate the holiday to prove that they are in love. Then it completely ostracizes those who are not coupled up and in love.

There are so many people in my life that I love. Why should it focus mostly on couples? Which is why I like the holiday. A day that celebrates love is a good day in my books!

I made these truffles for the two little people who I love more then anyone or anything in the whole world. It is for them that I celebrate this holiday of love. 

Oreo Truffles:

200g oreos or other sandwich cookies, crushed

100g cream cheese

283g (10oz/1pkg) of white candy melts

Mix the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese together, until completely combined. It will be sticky, but roll the mixture into about 12 one-inch balls. Place in the fridge for at least an hour; they can stay in for longer if need be.

When they are ready, but before you take them out melt the candy melts according to the instructions on the package.

Once it’s all melted, stick a fork into the candy melts before using it to pick up an Oreo truffle and dip into the melted candy melts, gently rock back and forth until covered. Very gently pull them out and let drip until smooth. Don’t worry too much about them being perfectly smooth if you are covering them in sprinkles.

Then set in a cupcake case or on a sheet of grease-proof paper. Cover with sprinkles right away because candy melts set fast. Repeat until they are all done!

notes: These were all over the internet a year or two ago, so it’s nothing new. However they are delicious. It’s the cookies and cream flavor covered in chocolate or candy melts that makes them a gorgeous treat! They also make great gifts and are really versatile! Decorate for any holiday, sports team, or special event!

I forgot to add that these are my entry for this month's Treat Petite, a monthly blogging challenge hosted by The Baking Explorer and Cakeyboi, this month's host. The theme is "Loved Ones" and I think these fit that theme perfectly! There is still time to enter so, head over to his site to find out more!

Truffles!!

These truffles were for the teachers at our school. The PTO provides dinner and dessert so that the teachers don't have to go out on Parent/Teacher Conference nights. :) I used two different recipes to make Peanut Butter, milk chocolate, and strawberry truffles! 

Peanut Butter Truffles from Better Home andGardens:

2 cups sugar

1 x 5oz can evaporated milk

½ cup butter

2 cups tiny marshmallows

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

½ tsp vanilla

12oz dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tsps shortening

finely chopped peanuts (optional)

1. Butter the side of a medium heavy saucepan. In the saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is boiling. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in marshmallows, peanut butter, and vanilla. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until mixture is thick and can be molded.
3. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip balls, one at a time, into melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off balls. Place on a wire rack set over waxed paper. If desired, sprinkle with peanuts. Let stand until chocolate is set. Makes about 50 truffles.

Easy (Versatile) Decadent Truffles from allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Then this is what I did: I split the recipe in half and flavored one half with vanilla and the other half with strawberry extract. I coated them both in melted chocolate. For the strawberry truffles, I melted white chocolate and added 1/2 tsp strawberry extract and a drop of pink food coloring.  Then I drizzled it on top so everyone would know the difference in flavors.

To package: I used a 30 count egg container and glued scrapbook paper to the front for a label. For smaller amounts, you could use a cardboard egg carton wrapped in cellophane or cling wrap with ribbons at each end.

Box of Chocolates Cake!!

The cakes name says it all. It tastes sort of like a box of chocolates! Very heavy and rich, it says it serves 25 big or 36 small portions.

I would probably say the 36, unless you have a real chocoholic! I would also say that only make this cake if you have time! I found that it took me a lot longer then expected. It was super dense and rich so worth the time.

This recipe was adapted from The Birthday Cake Book by Fiona Cairns. There are lots of other fun cakes in this book! Even if I never make another single thing from it, I’m sure I’ll be referring to it again just to read!

Box of Chocolates: Flourless Sachertorte

for the cake

260g unsalted butter, diced, plus more to butter the tin

300g 70% cocoa solids, chocolate, chopped

8 eggs, separated

250g golden caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

340g ground almonds

6 tbsp apricot jam to glaze

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F/fan 150*C/gas mark 3. Lightly butter a 25cm square tin and line the base with the baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water; I always take it off the heat before all the lumps are melted. Then stir it until completely melted. It’s just how I do it! Set aside to cool.

melted chocolate and butter

 Now you need to separate your 8 eggs. This can be a tricky part. I use 3 bowls for this. You’re going to mix the eggs yolks in your mixer (if using a free standing mixer). I use my hands to separate eggs. I brake an egg over a bowl put the yolk in a second bowl and then pour the egg white into a separate third bowl. I do this with all 8 eggs. As you can see in the picture provided that the tiniest bit of yoke in the whites could ruin the egg whites when beating. (Also see my sister’s frosting that didn’t work out due to a tiny bit of yolk.) If I had broke 7 eggs in a bowl and then with my 8^th egg got any yoke in it I would have had to start over and would have been eating a very big omelet for dinner! Also you want to make sure the egg white bowl is grease free!

un-usable egg whites

egg yolks, I just thought they were pretty

egg whites, stiff peaks (sort of)

Now on with the cake! Add the sugar and vanilla to the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is thickened and creamy (the 'ribbon’ stage). This can take 3-4 minutes.

Slow your mixer (hand or free standing) to low and add the cooled melted butter/chocolate mixture. Then in your egg white bowl whisk them with the pinch of salt to stiff peaks. With a metal spoon, fold the almonds into the chocolate mixture. Then big-spoonful by big-spoonful fold in the egg whites! This takes arms of steal! I managed, but was close to calling in the hubby!!

Pour into your prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in tin to cool for a couple of minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack. Here’s were I splurged a little and bought a 25cm square tin, but didn’t get a 25cm square thin cake board. That was a mistake if I was going to go all out I should have gone all the way! I made it work with what I had, but was in fear that the cake was going to crumble in two!!

apricot glaze

 Don’t forget about that apricot jam!! Heat it up in a small pan and press through a sieve. Glaze the cake by spreading it all over while cake and jam are still warm!

for the chocolate ganache:

300g 70% cocoa solids, chocolate broken into pieces

270ml double (heavy) cream

60g unsalted butter

Turn the cake unto your thin cake board, if you don’t have one do like I did and leave it on the cake tin insert. Make sure you have plenty of paper/towels underneath to catch the drips!

the mess!

covered in ganche waiting to dry

Do as you did before and put the chocolate, cream, and butter in a bowl over simmering water until it’s melted. Stir until melted; cool a little to thicken before pouring over the cake. Allow the cake to cool for at least 2 hours. Then decorate! I bought a small box of Thornton’s Dark Chocolate Trifles to decorate this cake with!

dried and decorated!

Yum!!

Oreo Truffles

guest post: Berkshire Baker!

2 pkg of oreos

200g cream cheese (Philadelphia)

200g milk chocolate or whatever suits you like white chocolate or even dark!

Makes about 12

Put Oreos in a food blender and make into crumbs, you have to lift and shake the blender otherwise it doesn't really work. I like to leave mine with some chunks but completely up to you!

Then in a bowl mix crumbs with cream cheese using your hands. Put in the fridge to set about 15 minutes. Then roll into balls about 1-1 1/2 inches and place in cake cases.

Finish off by melting the 200g of chocolate and spooning over each one. Return to fridge until ready to eat.

You could add more cream cheese to make it creamier, but would be a bit runny, more like frosting but would still taste great!! I want to try this using Double Stuffed Oreos!!

~ Berkshire Baker

First seen on Bakerella!!