Pine Cone Pops

Pine Cone Pops.

These chocolate pine cone treats might be the cutest winter dessert! If you’re looking for a festive, no-fuss holiday treat, these little pine cones are perfect. They’re easy to make, irresistibly cute, wonderfully chocolatey with a nice crunch—and completely no-bake. Honestly, they taste just as good as they look.

The pine cone pops will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge.

Yield about 20.

Ingredients:

• 5-600 g chocolate sheet pan cake, homemade or store bought

Frosting:

• 75 g natural cream cheese

• 75 g dark chocolate

• 25 g powdered sugar

Pine Cone Decorations:

• cocopops

• powdered sugar

Directions:

Start to make the frosting. Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler or gently in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir the melted chocolate into the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

Crumble the chocolate cake into a large bowl. Add the frosting to the cake crumbs and mix until the texture is soft, even, and workable. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.

Shape the chilled cake mixture into small egg like balls, about the size of a whole walnut.

Press the chocolate cereal into the pine cone, starting at the top and working your way down in rows to create a pine-cone effect. To serve, lightly dust with powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Enjoy!

Romkugler - Danish Rum Balls

Romkugler - Danish Rum Balls

This is an all-time classic Danish cake. It is actually made from leftover cake, and has been a cheap cake at most baker shops. Now I do not believe that rum balls are cheap cheap anymore, most baker shops make these from cakes baked solely to be used in the rum balls.

My version is made with good chocolate, marzipan and almonds to elevate the classic rum balls. You can use real rum, when making these, but you get more flavor by using an extract.

Makes about 50 small balls.

Ingredients:

• 500 g leftover cake, chocolate cake, brownies and pound cakes will work
• 50 g marzipan, grated
• 50 g sliced almonds, toasted on a dry skillet till fragrant
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, I use Valrhona
• 75 g melted dark chocolate, I use Valrhona 
• 1-2 tablespoons raspberry jam
• 4 teaspoons Rum Extract

Coating:

• 300 g dark chocolate, I use Valrhona 
• chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until you have a soft dough. Roll the dough into small balls, and let them cool for about 30 minutes before coating.

Temper the chocolate, and set up a station for coating. Put the sprinkles in a medium bowl. Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter for the coated rum balls.

Coat the balls with chocolate, and roll them in the sprinkles right away. 

Enjoy!

You can also roll the dough into a log, cover it with marzipan, cut into small logs and dip the ends in tempered chocolate. Now you have Træstammer or truffle logs.