Cake pops cu ciocolata si zmeura/ Chocolate raspberry cake pops

(Please scroll down for English version)

Am mai povestit si alta data cum cred ca un blog este un spatiu personal, si nu o insiruire de retete. Fiecare dintre noi avem o viata, servici si alte activitati, probleme si bucurii. Dar ne gasim intotdeauna timp sa gatim, fotografiem si sa postam. Cateodata mai mult, cateodata mai putin, dar intotdeauna cu pasiune. In privinta asta m-a inspirat si mai mult Bakerella. Bakerella este o fata care a "inventat" si facut foarte cunoscute cake pops. Ce sunt cake pops? Niste bomboane pe bat, facute din tort. Are mii de vizitatori zilnici, sute de mesaje si a publicat o carte. Ce e mai putin cunoscut e ca anul trecut rinichiul ei transplantat a inceput sa nu mai functioneze bine si a avut nevoie de alt transplant. A scris un post chiar si de pe patul spitalului. Din fericire, totul este bine si sper ca Bakerella sa ne delecteze cu cat mai multe cake pops. Este o inspiratie pentru mine si ma rog ca Domnul sa o binecuvanteze!

Sa trecem la reteta. Voiam de ceva vreme sa incerc sa fac cake pops si iata ca am si reusit. Prima varianta a fost esuata, reteta noua de red velvet pe care am incercat-o nu s-a pretat deloc la cake pops, a fost prea moale si uleioasa si nu s-a tinut foarte bine in forme rotunde. Varianta a doua, de ciocolata cu zmeura a fost un succes, am descoperit cu aceasta ocazie si o noua reteta de blat de tort de ciocolata, foarte ciocolatos, iar cake pops-urile sunt bestiale. Nu au asa de mult gust de zmeura, poate putin extract de zmeura ar fi ajutat. Este o reteta perfecta daca vreti sa va initiati si copiii in bucatarie, vor adora sa se joace cu "aluatul" de ciocolata.

In luna februarie la Dulce Romanie, Viorica de la "Caietul cu retete" ne provoaca la retete cu dragoste, iar aceasta mi se pare potrivita pentru acest eveniment.

Pentru cake pops veti avea nevoie de:

1 blat de ciocolata (reteta mai jos)
aprox 2/3 cup (cana) gem/dulceata de zmeura
bete pentru acadele
aprox 400 gr ciocolata amaruie
hartie de copt
aprox 50 gr ciocolata alba pentru decor

Fierbeti dulceata de zmeura cu 4-5 linguri de apa (un clocot este de ajuns), cat sa se omogenizeze si sa se subtieze putin. Se strecoara de seminte si se lasa sa se raceasca la temperatura camerei.
Se faramiteaza foarte bine blatul de ciocolata si se amesteca cu dulceata strecurata. Adaugati mai putin la inceput, vreti sa aveti o consistenta tare sa se poata tine pe bat. Mai adaugati dulceata daca este nevoie. Formati bilute de 2-3 cm in diametru si asezati-le pe un platou intins. Topiti putina ciocolata (pe bain-marie sau in cuptorul cu microunde, cate 20 de secunde odata), luati fiecate bat, inmuiati un capat putin in ciocolata si infigeti-l in bilele pregatite. Dati la frigider cel putin o ora sa se intareasca.
Topiti ciocolata amaruie (pe bain marie sau in cuptorul cu microunde, cate 20 de secunde odata, mestecand dupa fiecare tura) pana cand este foarte moale si omogena. Inmuiati fiecare acadea in ciocolata, rotind-o sa se uniformizeze ciocolata. Se aseaza pe hartie de copt, sa daca aveti in ce sa le infigeti, le puteti pune in sus. Dati la frigider 30 de minute - ora sa se intareasca ciocolata. Decorati cu ciocolata alba topita.

Blat de ciocolata:

1 stick (113 gr) unt la temperatura camerei
1 cup (200 gr) zahar
2 oua
1/2 lingurita vanilie
1/2 cup (120 ml) cafea tare
1/2 cup (50 gr) cacao
1/2 cup (120 ml) kefir
1 2/3 cup (175 gr) faina
2 lingurite praf de copt

Incingeti cuptorul la 180 grade Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Pregatiti o tava rotunda cu diametrul de 20 cm si ungeti-o bine cu ulei.

Amestecati cafeaua si cacaua cu o furculita pana cand se face o crema. Dati deoparte.
Bateti bine untul cu zaharul pana cand se face crema. Adaugati pe rand ouale, batand bine dupa fiecare. Adaugati vanilia si incorporati. Adaugati pe rand crema de cacao, kefirul, apoi faina si praful de copt, mestecand pana cand este incorporat, fara sa bateti prea mult. Turnati amestecul in tava pregatita si coaceti in cuptorul incins 50 de minute, pana cand o scobitoare introdusa in mijloc iasa afara curata. Lasati sa se raceasca in tava cateva minute, rasturnati si lasati sa se raceasca complet.

Blatul este perfect de folosit si pentru un tort, nu necesita insiropare.

I said in other occasions how I think a blog is a personal space and not just a list of recipes. Each of us has a life, work and other activities, problems and joys. But we always find time to cook, bake, take photos and post them. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always with passion. I found a lot of inspiration in this from Bakerella. Bakerella is a girl who “invented” and make popular the cake pops. Little cake delights on a stick. She has thousands of visitors on her blog daily, hundreds of messages, she published a book. What is not very much known is that last year, her transplanted kidney stopped working and she needed another transplant.  She wrote a post even from the hospital bed. Luckily, she’s fine now and I hope she’s going to delight us with more cake pops. Bakerella is an inspiration for me and I pray for God to bless her!

Let’s see the recipe. I wanted to make cake pops for some time and this is the second attempt. First attempt was a failed one, the new Red velvet cake recipe I tried it wasn’t good for pops, and it was too oily and soft. The second attempt was very successful and I developed a new chocolate cake recipe, very chocolaty, and the cake pops are a hit. The raspberry taste is not very strong; it would need a little help from a raspberry extract. It’s a perfect recipe to do with kids; they would love to play with the chocolaty “dough”.

For the cake pops you’ll going to need:



1 chocolate cake (recipe follows)
About 2/3 cup raspberry jam
Lollipop sticks
10-16 oz semisweet chocolate
Parchment paper
About 2 oz white chocolate

 Bring the jam and 4-5 tbsp water to a boil, enough to thin out. Strain the seeds thru a sieve and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Crumble the cake in a large bowl and mix with the cooled raspberry jam. Add less in the beginning, and more if necessary, you will want a very stiff consistency. Form little balls about 1 inch diameter and place on a large plate. Melt just a little chocolate (on a double boiler or in the microwave, 20 seconds at a time). Dip one end of each stick in chocolate and insert one in each cake ball. Place in the fridge for at least an hour to harden.

Melt the semisweet chocolate (on a double boiler or in the microwave, 20 seconds at a time, stirring well after each round) until very smooth. Dip each cake pop in melted chocolate, rotating to cover all sides. Place on parchment paper, or up on a Styrofoam block. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden. Decorate with melted white chocolate.

Chocolate cake:

1 stick butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup strong coffee
½ cup cocoa
½ cup kefir
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven at 350F. Prepare and butter an 8’’ round pan.

Stir the cocoa and coffee together using a fork until smooth. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla, then the cocoa mixture, the kefir, the flour and baking powder, mixing after each addition. Do not over mix. Pour the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Let cool in the pan for few minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely.