Christmasy tim tam pops the super fast no bake way

I'm a bit behind on my Christmas cooking, I have so many great ideas and just not enough time.

If your a bit like me, check out this cheat's version of a tim tam pop, there's no mixing, it's really just a tim tam on a pop.

Ok well I did make the decorations from mini cookie cutters I bought from Little Betsy Baker.
But you could even buy the decorations ready made if you want, sooo cute and the kids could help stick them on too.

and to display them I bought this pop up RUSS Christmas Card, I picked it up from my local newsagent, just stick some clean styrofoam inside and maybe a little weight.

Or if your not into the whole cookies on a stick thing, they would be cute in a little box with a ribbon as a sweet little gift for someone.

Apologies to all those countries out there who don't get white Tim Tam's, you might be able to substitute a more local cookie.

Christmas Tim Tam pops

Equipment and Ingredients
8 inch cookie pop/ lollipop sticks (make sure you do not get the thick Wilton ones)
Metal skewer
packet of white tim tams
little melted chocolate or candy melts
microwave safe dish
fondant or royal icing decorations

Using the metal skewer make a hole in the center base of each tim tam as per picture.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave on short bursts at med low until smooth.

Dip the end of each cookie stick/ lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then carefully push into the hole you have made in the Tim Tam.

Pop onto tray and repeat with remaining Tim Tam's. If you are adding decorations pop them onto the Tim Tams using the remaining melted chocolate.

If necessary refrigerate a few mins until chocolate is firm.

Baked Cheesecake with Salted Caramel, Jam Tart and the Daring Bakers Challenge November 2010

 

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

Mmmmmm this salted caramel topped cheesecake was super duper delicious

I just wasn't feeling the pie or tart love and went with a cheesecake instead, I though I could get away with using the pasta frolla (pastry) as a base, and it worked but it just felt wrong.


The cheesecake I baked with salted caramel was so delicious it completely overwhelmed the pastry and I felt I was doing the challenge a disservice.


So I went as plain as I could and made a jam tart, using the same pastry base. It was simple, it was sweet and it worked nicely. Not what I would usually bake but that's what the Daring Bakers is about.

recipe after jump

Chocolate 'Christmas Pudding' Cupcake Tutorial

OK I seem to have a bit of a fake pudding thing going on here. Obsessed much?

Seeings as I don't actually like pudding so I don't know where it's coming from.

I do however like these chocolate cupcakes, they're a bit of a reworked version of the sundae cupcakes I make which were inspired by the super talented Hello Naomi.

 

Sundae cupcakes.....change the colours and they become Christmas Pudding cupcakes

I did make one change which I am really happy with that I've been thinking about ever since I made the last batch. Instead of a rolled red ball of fondant on the top I have dipped a Tim Tam Truffle in red chocolate. It's like a cakepop topper....sooo much yummier.
I also did a version with some coffee flavoured ganache I had sitting around and I'm loving it as well. Of course you could just use a jaffa which would be tasty as well.
Oh and how lovely are the petite little mini stands. My wonderful friend Jo gave them to me as a gift, and she bought them for me from Mon Tresor.

Of course the cupcake wrappers are from The Cupcake Wrapper Co. I was lucky enough to win this packet of Christmas wrappers on their blog a while back.

I also tried out a version of the 'pudding' using Chocolate Modeling paste instead of fondant. It worked but the fondant is easier to work with, maybe chocolate fondant would be a good middle ground next time I make them.

Modeling Chocolate used instead of brown fondant in this one

Christmas Pudding Cupcake Tutorial

Ingredients and Equipment

Un-iced Cupcakes
Frosting - buttercream or ganache your choice
Rolled Fondant
Brown and Green Gel type food colour
Mini Cake or Cookie pops dipped in red chocolate or jaffas
Cake smoother
Small offset spatula
Mini rolling pin
Round cutter size of cupcake (I used a cup as I didn't have a cutter quite the right size)
Ikea cutters

This is the set of Ikea cutters available from their kitchen wear section

When making your cupcakes only fill the paper cups about half full as pictured so that the end cupcake is even and flat.

Using the small offset spatula, cover the cupcake with frosting in a smooth dome shape.


Colour some fondant brown, roll out and cut out circle shape.
Place on top of frosted cupcake and using a cake smoother gently smooth the fondant out towards the edge.




If you have a lot of overlap you can carefully cut along the edge with a sharp knife.

Roll out white fondant (not too thin as you will be rolling the cut out further) and using the small 'splatter' shape from the Ikea plastic cutter set cut out white fondant.
Using the small rolling pin roll out the splatter shape to make it larger and even more misshapen. Attach to brown fondant using a little water if necessary.
Pop a little buttercream on top to adhere the round 'cherry' I have used red chocolate dipped tim tam cookie truffles for this lot. You could just roll a ball of red fondant or use a jaffa.
Colour a small amount of fondant green and shape some leaves and attach to the 'pudding' using a tiny amount of water.

Once again, wishing I had one of those holly ejector sets, but these hand shaped ones will do in a pinch.

Voila faux Christmas Pudding Cupcakes.