Fancy Oreo and Mint Oreo Truffles! Learn how to make the perfect dipped truffle!

Every year I give out boxes (well, I use Chinese food containers) full of candy to friends. One of the favorites is Oreo truffles and Mint Oreo truffles. They are super easy and I just learned a new way to dip them and get the perfect round shape. So, I thought I would share!

For the Oreo Truffles:

· A package of Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)- Not the double stuffed
· About ¾ of softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
· 16 oz of White Chocolate (I used candy melts from Wilton) and 4 oz of Dark Chocolate
· Lollipop sticks
· Candy cups
· a food processor (or blender)
 

For Mint Oreo Truffles:

· A package of Mint Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)
· About ½ of softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
· 8 oz of White Chocolate (I used candy melts from Wilton), 8 oz of Green Colored Chocolate and 4 oz of Dark Chocolate
· Lollipop sticks
· Candy cups (mini cupcake wrappers)
· a food processor (or blender)
 

Steps to Make the Oreo Truffles (the inside):

1) Process (or blend) the whole package of Oreos until it is a fine crumb. The finer, the better.

2) Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and add the softened cream cheese to the bowl (6 oz for Oreo and 4 oz for Mint Oreo truffles). Sometimes my cream cheese isn’t that softened, so I just have to mix a little longer. No big deal.

3) With a spoon or hand mixer, mix the two ingredients together.
 

Steps to make the perfect truffles:

1) Roll your mixture into 1 ½ inch balls. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.

2) Melt your Chocolate according to the instructions on the package or follow mine! For the original Oreos, just melt 16 oz of White chocolate. For the mint Oreos, mix together 8 oz of green and white and melt together.

3) Retrieve your Oreo balls. Dip a tip of each stick into the chocolate and insert half way into the ball.

4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Wipe the excess chocolate on the bottom of the truffle and on the stick off with your finger. You want to be able to pop the truffle off the stick as easily as possible. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) Now, for the Original White Oreo balls, I dipped them twice. I like a true white color. But, for the Mint ones, I only had to dip them once. Make sure everything is covered. Any little hole will cause the truffle mixture to leak.

6) After the chocolate has set, time to decorate! Melt the dark chocolate; I then poured it into a sandwich bag. I cut the very tip of the corner of the bag off. I then squeezed the baggie back and forth over the pop to create a design. Allow to dry.

7) Re-melt your chocolate (white or the green-white mixture). Now, carefully remove the lollipop stick. Dip the bottom of the truffle into the melted chocolate and place in your candy cups. This step will ensure that the bottom is sealed and the candy cup will stay with the truffle.

The green one is the mint Oreo and the white one is the original Oreo truffle. The mint ones are amazing!!!

You now have a professional looking truffle that anyone would be happy to receive! Good luck and enjoy them!!!

Every year I give out boxes (well, I use Chinese food containers) full of candy to friends. One of the favorites is Oreo truffles and Mint Oreo truffles. They are super easy and I just learned a new way to dip them and get the perfect round shape. So, I thought I would share!

For the Oreo Truffles:

· A package of Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)- Not the double stuffed
· About ¾ of softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
· 16 oz of White Chocolate (I used candy melts from Wilton) and 4 oz of Dark Chocolate
· Lollipop sticks
· Candy cups
· a food processor (or blender)
 

For Mint Oreo Truffles:

· A package of Mint Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)
· About ½ of softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
· 8 oz of White Chocolate (I used candy melts from Wilton), 8 oz of Green Colored Chocolate and 4 oz of Dark Chocolate
· Lollipop sticks
· Candy cups (mini cupcake wrappers)
· a food processor (or blender)
 

Steps to Make the Oreo Truffles (the inside):

1) Process (or blend) the whole package of Oreos until it is a fine crumb. The finer, the better.

2) Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and add the softened cream cheese to the bowl (6 oz for Oreo and 4 oz for Mint Oreo truffles). Sometimes my cream cheese isn’t that softened, so I just have to mix a little longer. No big deal.

3) With a spoon or hand mixer, mix the two ingredients together.
 

Steps to make the perfect truffles:

1) Roll your mixture into 1 ½ inch balls. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.

2) Melt your Chocolate according to the instructions on the package or follow mine! For the original Oreos, just melt 16 oz of White chocolate. For the mint Oreos, mix together 8 oz of green and white and melt together.

3) Retrieve your Oreo balls. Dip a tip of each stick into the chocolate and insert half way into the ball.

4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Wipe the excess chocolate on the bottom of the truffle and on the stick off with your finger. You want to be able to pop the truffle off the stick as easily as possible. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) Now, for the Original White Oreo balls, I dipped them twice. I like a true white color. But, for the Mint ones, I only had to dip them once. Make sure everything is covered. Any little hole will cause the truffle mixture to leak.

6) After the chocolate has set, time to decorate! Melt the dark chocolate; I then poured it into a sandwich bag. I cut the very tip of the corner of the bag off. I then squeezed the baggie back and forth over the pop to create a design. Allow to dry.

7) Re-melt your chocolate (white or the green-white mixture). Now, carefully remove the lollipop stick. Dip the bottom of the truffle into the melted chocolate and place in your candy cups. This step will ensure that the bottom is sealed and the candy cup will stay with the truffle.

The green one is the mint Oreo and the white one is the original Oreo truffle. The mint ones are amazing!!!

You now have a professional looking truffle that anyone would be happy to receive! Good luck and enjoy them!!!

Santa Hat Truffle Pops filled with Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch! Gluten free and yummy!!

 

Have you ever made Muddy Buddies from the recipe on the side of a Chex cereal box? Well, this recipe is inspired by that recipe. I love the chocolate peanut butter crunch and I thought it would be great on a stick! Since, we are getting close to Christmas; I decide to make Santa Hats. I took the idea for the hats from Bakerella, the queen of cake pops.



What you will need for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch:
· ½ cup of Milk Chocolate chips
· ½ cup of Creamy Peanut Butter
· 2 Tablespoons of Butter
· ½ teaspoon of Vanilla (I always forget to put that in the picture!!)
· 4 ½ cups of Rice Chex turned into 1 ½ cups of crumbs
· ½ cup powdered sugar

My monkey steals a few Chex. I was surprised it wasn’t the chocolate chips!

Steps:
1) Combine Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Butter in a large microwave safe bowl (large enough to stir in the Chex later). Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.
2) Add the Vanilla and stir. The chocolate and butter should be melted and the mixture should be smooth.
3) Add in the Chex crumbs and powdered sugar. Stir to combine.
4) Mold the mixture into any shape you want. For the Santa Hats, mold it into a cone shape. This recipe makes about 18 cones.

5) Allow the cones to cool and harden. I left them on the counter for 2 hours.

 
What you will need for the Santa Hats:
· 8 oz of White Chocolate Candy Melts
· 8 oz of Red Candy Melts
· 18 lollipop sticks
· Paramount Crystals (not needed, but makes the chocolate nice and smooth)
· Clear Sanding Sugar
· 18 Round Balls (I used Pretzel M &Ms, but you could use yogurt covered raisins, white gumballs or any other round candy you like.)
· A food grade paint brush (found at any craft store in the candy section)
· A drying rack. Like the one in the pictures? My hubby made it! And I think I’ll do a give away with another one.
 
Steps for Santa Hats:

1) Melt your White Chocolate according to the back of the package or follow my steps found here.
2) Dip the bottom 1/3 of the cone in the chocolate and insert your lollipop stick. Do this gently and don’t go in more than half way.

Please ignore the big, prego belly in the shots!

3) Insert in the drying rack and allow to set.

Mr. Wonderful loves this shot. He calls it his action shot because you can see me dipping in the background. ;)

4) Melt the Red Chocolate according to the back of the package or follow my steps found here.
5) Dip the top 2/3 of each cone into the Red Chocolate. To get the excess chocolate off, I gently swung the pop upside down to release the chocolate.

6) Place in the drying rack and add your candy ball to the top. I had a diaper (well, my son had a diaper) emergency right after I dipped my hats. So, I added my balls on top after the red had dried with a little melted chocolate as the glue. But, it is so much easier if you add it while the red coating is still wet. Allow to set.

7) If you used a white candy ball, skip this step. If you didn’t (like me), dip the ball (that’s ‘glued’ to the hat) in white chocolate and allow to set.

8) You could be done now, but it’s Christmas!!! You need some sparkle! Plus it hides a number of mistakes!
9) I used a food grade paint brush for this step. I simply painted on extra white chocolate on the trim and ball of the hats and dusted with Sanding Sugar. It works best if you ‘paint’ an inch of trim and then dust with sugar. And repeat!

Now, I know the Pretzel M&Ms aren’t gluten free, but if I was making these for someone that needs gluten free, I would use a gumball or a Peanut Butter M&M for the ball.



The filling is really yummy and the hats are pretty cute. Happy Holidays and Enjoy!!

 

Have you ever made Muddy Buddies from the recipe on the side of a Chex cereal box? Well, this recipe is inspired by that recipe. I love the chocolate peanut butter crunch and I thought it would be great on a stick! Since, we are getting close to Christmas; I decide to make Santa Hats. I took the idea for the hats from Bakerella, the queen of cake pops.



What you will need for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch:
· ½ cup of Milk Chocolate chips
· ½ cup of Creamy Peanut Butter
· 2 Tablespoons of Butter
· ½ teaspoon of Vanilla (I always forget to put that in the picture!!)
· 4 ½ cups of Rice Chex turned into 1 ½ cups of crumbs
· ½ cup powdered sugar

My monkey steals a few Chex. I was surprised it wasn’t the chocolate chips!

Steps:
1) Combine Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Butter in a large microwave safe bowl (large enough to stir in the Chex later). Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.
2) Add the Vanilla and stir. The chocolate and butter should be melted and the mixture should be smooth.
3) Add in the Chex crumbs and powdered sugar. Stir to combine.
4) Mold the mixture into any shape you want. For the Santa Hats, mold it into a cone shape. This recipe makes about 18 cones.

5) Allow the cones to cool and harden. I left them on the counter for 2 hours.

 
What you will need for the Santa Hats:
· 8 oz of White Chocolate Candy Melts
· 8 oz of Red Candy Melts
· 18 lollipop sticks
· Paramount Crystals (not needed, but makes the chocolate nice and smooth)
· Clear Sanding Sugar
· 18 Round Balls (I used Pretzel M &Ms, but you could use yogurt covered raisins, white gumballs or any other round candy you like.)
· A food grade paint brush (found at any craft store in the candy section)
· A drying rack. Like the one in the pictures? My hubby made it! And I think I’ll do a give away with another one.
 
Steps for Santa Hats:

1) Melt your White Chocolate according to the back of the package or follow my steps found here.
2) Dip the bottom 1/3 of the cone in the chocolate and insert your lollipop stick. Do this gently and don’t go in more than half way.

Please ignore the big, prego belly in the shots!

3) Insert in the drying rack and allow to set.

Mr. Wonderful loves this shot. He calls it his action shot because you can see me dipping in the background. ;)

4) Melt the Red Chocolate according to the back of the package or follow my steps found here.
5) Dip the top 2/3 of each cone into the Red Chocolate. To get the excess chocolate off, I gently swung the pop upside down to release the chocolate.

6) Place in the drying rack and add your candy ball to the top. I had a diaper (well, my son had a diaper) emergency right after I dipped my hats. So, I added my balls on top after the red had dried with a little melted chocolate as the glue. But, it is so much easier if you add it while the red coating is still wet. Allow to set.

7) If you used a white candy ball, skip this step. If you didn’t (like me), dip the ball (that’s ‘glued’ to the hat) in white chocolate and allow to set.

8) You could be done now, but it’s Christmas!!! You need some sparkle! Plus it hides a number of mistakes!
9) I used a food grade paint brush for this step. I simply painted on extra white chocolate on the trim and ball of the hats and dusted with Sanding Sugar. It works best if you ‘paint’ an inch of trim and then dust with sugar. And repeat!

Now, I know the Pretzel M&Ms aren’t gluten free, but if I was making these for someone that needs gluten free, I would use a gumball or a Peanut Butter M&M for the ball.



The filling is really yummy and the hats are pretty cute. Happy Holidays and Enjoy!!

Almond Joy Truffle Pops! Coconut and Almonds covered in Milk Chocolate! Yummy!

 

I love Almond Joys, but I’m not a fan of the whole almonds on top. I like the almonds to be mixed in the coconut. So, I made my own version and I put them on a stick …because that is what I do!

For the Coconut Almond Truffle Filling:
· 1 bag of Sweetened Flaked Coconut (14 ounces)
· ¼ cup Butter Softened (not melted)
· 1 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
· ½ cup of chopped Almonds
· ½ teaspoon of Almond Extract
· 2 ½ - 3 cups of Powdered Sugar

Steps :
1) Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Make sure they are well mixed.
2) Add ½ cup of Powdered Sugar at a time and mix well. You want the mixture to be a little moist but able to roll in a ball without sticking too much to your hands. So, you may have to add up to 3 cups of powdered sugar.
3) Roll into ball and place on a Silpat or wax paper and place in the fridge to firm up for the pops.

For the Truffle Pops:
· 16 oz of Milk Chocolate Candy Wafers
· 24 sticks (it depends on how big you roll for truffles. I did mine a little over an inch wide.)
· A little bit of White Chocolate
· ¼ of chopped Almonds ( Make these super chopped!)

Steps:
1) Melt the Milk Chocolate according to the package instructions or follow my steps here.
2) Retrieve the coconut balls from the fridge. Dip a tip of each stick into the chocolate and insert half way into the ball.

3) Allow the chocolate to set. It should take a few seconds.
4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) After the chocolate has set, time to decorate! I melted ½ of White Chocolate; I then poured it into a sandwich bag. I cut the very tip of the corner of the bag off. I then squeezed the baggie back and forth over the pop and I sprinkled the top with the Almond bits.

I hope you love these as much as I do!

 

I love Almond Joys, but I’m not a fan of the whole almonds on top. I like the almonds to be mixed in the coconut. So, I made my own version and I put them on a stick …because that is what I do!

For the Coconut Almond Truffle Filling:
· 1 bag of Sweetened Flaked Coconut (14 ounces)
· ¼ cup Butter Softened (not melted)
· 1 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
· ½ cup of chopped Almonds
· ½ teaspoon of Almond Extract
· 2 ½ - 3 cups of Powdered Sugar

Steps :
1) Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Make sure they are well mixed.
2) Add ½ cup of Powdered Sugar at a time and mix well. You want the mixture to be a little moist but able to roll in a ball without sticking too much to your hands. So, you may have to add up to 3 cups of powdered sugar.
3) Roll into ball and place on a Silpat or wax paper and place in the fridge to firm up for the pops.

For the Truffle Pops:
· 16 oz of Milk Chocolate Candy Wafers
· 24 sticks (it depends on how big you roll for truffles. I did mine a little over an inch wide.)
· A little bit of White Chocolate
· ¼ of chopped Almonds ( Make these super chopped!)

Steps:
1) Melt the Milk Chocolate according to the package instructions or follow my steps here.
2) Retrieve the coconut balls from the fridge. Dip a tip of each stick into the chocolate and insert half way into the ball.

3) Allow the chocolate to set. It should take a few seconds.
4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) After the chocolate has set, time to decorate! I melted ½ of White Chocolate; I then poured it into a sandwich bag. I cut the very tip of the corner of the bag off. I then squeezed the baggie back and forth over the pop and I sprinkled the top with the Almond bits.

I hope you love these as much as I do!

Peppermint Bark Truffle Pops! Chocolate Peppermint center, covered in White Chocolate and topped with crushed Candy Canes!

Like the toddler on top of the coffee table in the background?!?

I love peppermint bark (layers of chocolate, white chocolate and crushed peppermint). But, I wanted to try something different and on a stick. I think they turned out pretty cute!

The filling: Chocolate Peppermint Ganache:


· 6 oz of Milk Chocolate Chips
· 6 oz of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
· 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
· ¼ teaspoon of Peppermint Extract
· ¾ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
· 3 candy canes (crushed into tiny pieces)

Steps for the Peppermint Ganache:

1) Place the chocolate chips in a 2 quart saucepan over low to medium low heat. Stir the chocolate chips until melted. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so none of the chocolate burns.
2) Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and extracts (I use a whisk to make the mixture smooth).
3) Add the crushed candy canes to the mixture and stir to combine.
4) Pour the mixture into a storage container and store in the fridge.

What you need to make the Peppermint Bark Truffle Pops:


· Peppermint Ganache
· About 25 Lollipop Sticks
· Silpat or Wax Paper
· 16 oz of White Chocolate Candy Melts
· Paramount Crystals (or a teaspoon of Shortening)
· Drying Rack for Pops
· 5 Candy Canes (crushed into tiny pieces)

Steps to Make the Pops:

1) Roll the Peppermint Ganache into 1 inch balls. Place on a Silpat or Wax Paper.

2) Melt the White Chocolate with a teaspoon of Paramount Crystals (or a teaspoon of Shortening) by following the instructions on the package or my instructions found here.
3) Dip the end of the Lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert into each ball (only half way).

4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the white chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) Once all of the pops are dry, make sure the chocolate in the dipping bowl is still melted. If it has started to harden, place back in the microwave at 50% power for 10 second intervals. Dip the pops again so you get a truly white covering. Once you dip each one, sprinkle or dip the top of the pop into the crushed candy canes.

Now, Enjoy! I love peppermint and these hit the spot for me!!

Like the toddler on top of the coffee table in the background?!?

I love peppermint bark (layers of chocolate, white chocolate and crushed peppermint). But, I wanted to try something different and on a stick. I think they turned out pretty cute!

The filling: Chocolate Peppermint Ganache:


· 6 oz of Milk Chocolate Chips
· 6 oz of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
· 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
· ¼ teaspoon of Peppermint Extract
· ¾ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
· 3 candy canes (crushed into tiny pieces)

Steps for the Peppermint Ganache:

1) Place the chocolate chips in a 2 quart saucepan over low to medium low heat. Stir the chocolate chips until melted. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so none of the chocolate burns.
2) Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and extracts (I use a whisk to make the mixture smooth).
3) Add the crushed candy canes to the mixture and stir to combine.
4) Pour the mixture into a storage container and store in the fridge.

What you need to make the Peppermint Bark Truffle Pops:


· Peppermint Ganache
· About 25 Lollipop Sticks
· Silpat or Wax Paper
· 16 oz of White Chocolate Candy Melts
· Paramount Crystals (or a teaspoon of Shortening)
· Drying Rack for Pops
· 5 Candy Canes (crushed into tiny pieces)

Steps to Make the Pops:

1) Roll the Peppermint Ganache into 1 inch balls. Place on a Silpat or Wax Paper.

2) Melt the White Chocolate with a teaspoon of Paramount Crystals (or a teaspoon of Shortening) by following the instructions on the package or my instructions found here.
3) Dip the end of the Lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert into each ball (only half way).

4) Time to Dip! Dip the balls into the white chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Try to cover the whole ball in one dipping. Tap off the excess by gently tapping the stick against your wrist or the edge of the bowl. Place in the drying rack (or a block of Styrofoam).

5) Once all of the pops are dry, make sure the chocolate in the dipping bowl is still melted. If it has started to harden, place back in the microwave at 50% power for 10 second intervals. Dip the pops again so you get a truly white covering. Once you dip each one, sprinkle or dip the top of the pop into the crushed candy canes.

Now, Enjoy! I love peppermint and these hit the spot for me!!

Witch’s Fingers Brownie Truffle Pops!!

 

If you are looking for a great beginner truffle pop, this is it! If the chocolate looks wrinkled, it looks even better! So, if you are timid to try pops, try this one. You will have success!

For the Brownie Filling:
· A brownie mix prepared according to the package, cooked and cooled
· A can of Chocolate Frosting (if you would like you make homemade, you will need a ½ cup or so)

Steps to prepare the filling:
1) Cut the edges of the brownie off and eat them! They are too crispy to mix well.
2) Break the brownie up into a bowl. The smaller the pieces, the better.
3) Add ½ cup (½ a can of frosting) to the bowl and mix the two ingredients together. Make sure that it is well mixed and not too wet. It should hold together well, but not be mushy.
4) Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
 
For the Witch’s Fingers:
· Spooky Green Candy Melts
· Lollipop Sticks
· Paramont Crystals (not needed, but makes the chocolate smooth)
· Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Liner or Wax Paper
· Almonds with the skin on
· Yellow food coloring

Steps for the Witch’s Fingers:
 
1) Take your filling and shape into 2 inch logs. Shape them into finger shapes. Put them into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. (I used the Brownie filling above. But, you could use Oreo, Peanut Butter Crunch or Mint Truffle.)
2) Prepare the Chocolate: Place the whole bag, (minus 10 wafers) in a bowl and add a teaspoon of paramount crystals. Follow the instructions on your chocolate until it is melts. This can be tricky. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate. For Wilton’s, I melt it for one minute at 50% power. Stir. Then, one more minute and stir. Then, (can you guess?) another 30 seconds to a minute. It should be melted by now. Put a small drop on your lip. If you feel any heat, it’s too hot. Add a few of the wafers that were held out to cool the mixture until you can’t feel any heat when you put a drop on your lips.
3) Retrieve your fingers from the fridge. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert into a finger. DO NOT GO MORE THAN HALF WAY! Place back on your pan.

4) Make an impression of an almond on each finger tip. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes and then in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will make them very firm. You want to make sure they are as firm as possible before you dip them.
5) While the fingers are firming up, prepare the ‘fingernails.’ Take your almonds and scrap most of the brown skin off one side of the almond with a butter knife.
6) Use a brush or cotton swab to paint on yellow food coloring on the white fresh of the almonds.

7) Once your ‘fingers’ are cooled and firmed, you are ready to dip. Only take a few of the fingers out of the fridge at a time. Make sure your chocolate is still melted. If it has started to harden, place back in the microwave for 20 seconds at 50% power. I poured my chocolate into a drinking glass to make the dipping of the fingers easier (I use the same trick for dipping pretzel rods).

8) Dip a finger into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Pull the finger out of the chocolate and tap the excess chocolate off by GENTLY tapping the lollipop stick against your wrist or the edge of the glass.
9) Place in the cooling rack (a block of Styrofoam). While the chocolate is still wet, place a finger nail on the finger. Repeat!
10) You are done! If you want, you can add ‘blood’ on the base of the fingers with the red chocolate.

 

If you are looking for a great beginner truffle pop, this is it! If the chocolate looks wrinkled, it looks even better! So, if you are timid to try pops, try this one. You will have success!

For the Brownie Filling:
· A brownie mix prepared according to the package, cooked and cooled
· A can of Chocolate Frosting (if you would like you make homemade, you will need a ½ cup or so)

Steps to prepare the filling:
1) Cut the edges of the brownie off and eat them! They are too crispy to mix well.
2) Break the brownie up into a bowl. The smaller the pieces, the better.
3) Add ½ cup (½ a can of frosting) to the bowl and mix the two ingredients together. Make sure that it is well mixed and not too wet. It should hold together well, but not be mushy.
4) Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
 
For the Witch’s Fingers:
· Spooky Green Candy Melts
· Lollipop Sticks
· Paramont Crystals (not needed, but makes the chocolate smooth)
· Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Liner or Wax Paper
· Almonds with the skin on
· Yellow food coloring

Steps for the Witch’s Fingers:
 
1) Take your filling and shape into 2 inch logs. Shape them into finger shapes. Put them into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. (I used the Brownie filling above. But, you could use Oreo, Peanut Butter Crunch or Mint Truffle.)
2) Prepare the Chocolate: Place the whole bag, (minus 10 wafers) in a bowl and add a teaspoon of paramount crystals. Follow the instructions on your chocolate until it is melts. This can be tricky. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate. For Wilton’s, I melt it for one minute at 50% power. Stir. Then, one more minute and stir. Then, (can you guess?) another 30 seconds to a minute. It should be melted by now. Put a small drop on your lip. If you feel any heat, it’s too hot. Add a few of the wafers that were held out to cool the mixture until you can’t feel any heat when you put a drop on your lips.
3) Retrieve your fingers from the fridge. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert into a finger. DO NOT GO MORE THAN HALF WAY! Place back on your pan.

4) Make an impression of an almond on each finger tip. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes and then in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will make them very firm. You want to make sure they are as firm as possible before you dip them.
5) While the fingers are firming up, prepare the ‘fingernails.’ Take your almonds and scrap most of the brown skin off one side of the almond with a butter knife.
6) Use a brush or cotton swab to paint on yellow food coloring on the white fresh of the almonds.

7) Once your ‘fingers’ are cooled and firmed, you are ready to dip. Only take a few of the fingers out of the fridge at a time. Make sure your chocolate is still melted. If it has started to harden, place back in the microwave for 20 seconds at 50% power. I poured my chocolate into a drinking glass to make the dipping of the fingers easier (I use the same trick for dipping pretzel rods).

8) Dip a finger into the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! Pull the finger out of the chocolate and tap the excess chocolate off by GENTLY tapping the lollipop stick against your wrist or the edge of the glass.
9) Place in the cooling rack (a block of Styrofoam). While the chocolate is still wet, place a finger nail on the finger. Repeat!
10) You are done! If you want, you can add ‘blood’ on the base of the fingers with the red chocolate.

Oreo Truffle Pops! Spooky Ghosts, perfect for Halloween!!

Mr. Wonderful loves Oreos. He loves them!! So, when a friend of ours told him about Oreo truffles, Mr. Wonderful was amazed and called me to ask if I could: a) find out how to make them and b) make them right away! Well, they are the easiest truffles in the world and they taste great.
For the Oreo Truffle:
· A package of Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)
· ¾ of a softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese (that works out to be 6 oz.)
· A food processor (or blender). That’s it!
 
For the Ghost Pops:
· Some kind of truffle center (I used Oreo)
· 16 – 24 oz. of white chocolate (the candy melts would the best)
· 28 lollipop sticks
· Paramont Crystals (not needed, but they will make the chocolate smooth)
· edible black pen
 
Steps to Make the Oreo Truffles:
1) Process (or blend) the whole package of Oreos until it is a fine crumb. The finer, the better.
2) Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and add softened cream cheese to the bowl. (I leave my cream cheese on the kitchen counter for several hours to get it nice and soft.)
3) With a spoon or hand mixer, mix the two ingredients together. That’s it
You can get really creative with your choice of Oreos. I love using the Mint ones or even the Chocolate Peanut butter. I have heard of people using Nutter Butters, but I haven’t tried that yet.
 
Steps to make the Ghost Pops:
1) Take your filling and form them into bell shapes. Keep the diameter to no more than one inch. You should get 28 out of the Oreo recipe.
2) Form small logs to be the arms, 2 per ghost. Place the bells and logs in the refrigerator to cool while you get the chocolate ready.
3) For the chocolate, add 16 oz. of white chocolate and a teaspoon of paramount crystals to a microwave safe bowl. Melt them according to directions on package or follow my steps (it's step #3)
4) Once the chocolate is ready, retrieve your Oreo filling from the fridge. Dip one side of logs (arms) into the chocolate and ‘glue’ them to the bells (bodies). Press them firm and hold it for a few seconds to make sure it is well ‘glued’. Place in the fridge for a few moments, until the chocolate has set.

5) Retrieve the ghosts again. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert (that sounds dirty!) the stick into the bottom of the ghost. Repeat until all the ghosts have sticks. Return the ghost to the fridge for at least 5 minutes. You want the ghost very firm for the dipping. While you wait, make sure your dipping chocolate is deep enough to dip the ghosts without touching the bottom of the bowl. The arms are fragile until they are covered in chocolate.

6) Time to dip! I place my chocolate back in the microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power right before I dip. Take a few ghosts out of the fridge at a time. Allow the others to remain in the fridge. Dip the ghost in the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! They may break. If you have to, dip one side and then the other in chocolate. Gently tap off the extra chocolate and place the pop in the drying rack to dry. Repeat!

Caught you!! My monkey was trying to get a pop before they are finished!
7) I double dipped my ghosts to make sure they were a true white. I added more chocolate to my dipping bowl (about 8 oz.) to make sure I had enough. I allowed the first dipping to dry all the way. Then, I re-dipped them.

                    First Dip                                               Second Dip
8) Once dry, draw on faces with an edible black pen.

If the arms seem too hard to do, just skip it. The bells make great ghosts too!
Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!

Mr. Wonderful loves Oreos. He loves them!! So, when a friend of ours told him about Oreo truffles, Mr. Wonderful was amazed and called me to ask if I could: a) find out how to make them and b) make them right away! Well, they are the easiest truffles in the world and they taste great.
For the Oreo Truffle:
· A package of Oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)
· ¾ of a softened 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese (that works out to be 6 oz.)
· A food processor (or blender). That’s it!
 
For the Ghost Pops:
· Some kind of truffle center (I used Oreo)
· 16 – 24 oz. of white chocolate (the candy melts would the best)
· 28 lollipop sticks
· Paramont Crystals (not needed, but they will make the chocolate smooth)
· edible black pen
 
Steps to Make the Oreo Truffles:
1) Process (or blend) the whole package of Oreos until it is a fine crumb. The finer, the better.
2) Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and add softened cream cheese to the bowl. (I leave my cream cheese on the kitchen counter for several hours to get it nice and soft.)
3) With a spoon or hand mixer, mix the two ingredients together. That’s it
You can get really creative with your choice of Oreos. I love using the Mint ones or even the Chocolate Peanut butter. I have heard of people using Nutter Butters, but I haven’t tried that yet.
 
Steps to make the Ghost Pops:
1) Take your filling and form them into bell shapes. Keep the diameter to no more than one inch. You should get 28 out of the Oreo recipe.
2) Form small logs to be the arms, 2 per ghost. Place the bells and logs in the refrigerator to cool while you get the chocolate ready.
3) For the chocolate, add 16 oz. of white chocolate and a teaspoon of paramount crystals to a microwave safe bowl. Melt them according to directions on package or follow my steps (it's step #3)
4) Once the chocolate is ready, retrieve your Oreo filling from the fridge. Dip one side of logs (arms) into the chocolate and ‘glue’ them to the bells (bodies). Press them firm and hold it for a few seconds to make sure it is well ‘glued’. Place in the fridge for a few moments, until the chocolate has set.

5) Retrieve the ghosts again. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate and insert (that sounds dirty!) the stick into the bottom of the ghost. Repeat until all the ghosts have sticks. Return the ghost to the fridge for at least 5 minutes. You want the ghost very firm for the dipping. While you wait, make sure your dipping chocolate is deep enough to dip the ghosts without touching the bottom of the bowl. The arms are fragile until they are covered in chocolate.

6) Time to dip! I place my chocolate back in the microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power right before I dip. Take a few ghosts out of the fridge at a time. Allow the others to remain in the fridge. Dip the ghost in the chocolate. DO NOT STIR! They may break. If you have to, dip one side and then the other in chocolate. Gently tap off the extra chocolate and place the pop in the drying rack to dry. Repeat!

Caught you!! My monkey was trying to get a pop before they are finished!
7) I double dipped my ghosts to make sure they were a true white. I added more chocolate to my dipping bowl (about 8 oz.) to make sure I had enough. I allowed the first dipping to dry all the way. Then, I re-dipped them.

                    First Dip                                               Second Dip
8) Once dry, draw on faces with an edible black pen.

If the arms seem too hard to do, just skip it. The bells make great ghosts too!
Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!