Christmas Ornament Cake Pops with Mirror Glaze Recipe

Festive Ornament Cake Pops Topped with Glossy Mirror Glaze

• Level: Intermediate
• Yield: approximately 36 cake pops
• Nutritional Analysis Per Serving
  Serving Size: 1 of 36 servings
  Calories: 687
  Total Fat: 36 g
  Saturated Fat: 16 g
  Carbohydrates: 84 g
  Dietary Fiber: 3 g
  Sugar: 72 g
  Protein: 11 g
  Cholesterol: 14 mg
  Sodium: 422 mg

• Total: 3 hr 40 min
• Active: 1 hr 30 min

Transform simple cake pops into dazzling holiday ornaments with a stunning reflective mirror glaze and elegant gold-dusted toppers. Bursting with tart cranberry and zesty orange flavors, these festive treats bring joy to every biteperfect for bakers eager to create showstopping desserts effortlessly using a pre-made cake mix.

Cake Pop Components:

One 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix (plus required ingredients)
1 1/4 cups white chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries, minced finely

White Chocolate Coating:

One 11-ounce bag white chocolate morsels (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Glossy Mirror Glaze:

Two 1/4-ounce packets unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
One 11-ounce bag white chocolate morsels (about 2 cups)
Green and red gel food coloring

Finishing Touches:

36 mini peanut butter cups, such as Reese's Minis
Edible gold pearl dust, such as Wilton Pearl Dust in gold

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Specialized Equipment Needed:

36 white or gold lollipop sticks (each about 6 inches long), two 9.8-by-11.8-inch Styrofoam blocks, a 3/4-ounce scoop and a small art brush

Instructions:

1. For the cake pops: Prepare and bake the cake following package instructions for a 9-by-13-inch pan. Allow to cool thoroughly.
2. In the meantime, combine the white chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power in 30 second increments until fully melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, approximately 1 minute. (A double boiler is also an option.) Gently remove from the microwave and stir in the orange extract until well blended.
3. After cooling, break the cake into fine crumbles in a large bowl and combine with the dried cranberries and orange-white chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula or hands to blend thoroughly until evenly combined, fully moistened and able to hold shape when squeezed.
4. With a 3/4-ounce scoop, portion rounded amounts of the mixture and roll into spheres, placing on a baking sheet. You should create approximately 36 spheres. Chill until solid, about 30 minutes.
5. For the white chocolate coating: Mix the white chocolate morsels and vegetable shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power in 30 second increments until fully melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, approximately 1 minute. (A double boiler works well too.) Gently remove from the microwave and stir again to ensure all lumps are gone.
6. Coat the tip of a lollipop stick with the chocolate coating and insert halfway into a cake sphere. Fully submerge the cake sphere in the chocolate coating, allowing excess to drip away, then place the stick into the Styrofoam block vertically. Continue with remaining spheres and sticks. Chill the cake pops until thoroughly chilled and hardened, about 1 hour.
7. For the glossy mirror glaze: Distribute the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; stir and let rest 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 3/4 cup water with the granulated sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat, then blend in the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.
8. Place the white chocolate morsels in a large bowl and position a fine-mesh strainer over the top. Pour the gelatin mixture through the strainer to eliminate any particles; remove the strainer. Let rest 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften, then blend with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add food coloring as desired (divide the glaze into portions if using multiple colors), then let rest, stirring from time to time, until it becomes thicker and reaches 90 degrees F on a thermometer. Transfer to a tall, spacious glass vessel (such as a wide-mouth mason jar) for convenient dipping.
9. One at a time, immerse the cake pops into the glossy mirror glaze until fully covered, letting excess drip off. Return to the foam board (it may continue to drip for a minute or two). Place in the refrigerator to harden completely, about 1 hour. (Even when fully set, mirror glaze maintains a tacky texture, so ensure adequate spacing between the pops).
10. With a small, clean art brush, coat the peanut butter cups with edible gold pearl dust, then position one atop each cake pop "ornament" (see Cook's Note). Store chilled until serving time.

Chef's Recommendation:

For flawless, even coverage on your gold-dusted candies, mix the gold dust with vodka to create a "paint." Combine 2 teaspoons edible gold pearl dust with about 1/4 teaspoon vodka, adjusting to a thick paste. Brush onto mini peanut butter cups (use a toothpick for easy handling) and let dry for several minutesyour ornaments will shimmer like true treasures!