Daring Baker's Challenge # 3 - Cheesecake Pops

I need a Stairmaster. I need one now. Because I am so addicted to these cheesecake pops! Who knew! I was actually rather "baking-shy" about this recipe. I had never made a "real" cheesecake before and I wasn't sure how well this was going to turn out.




I probably shouldn't have learned!

These cheesecake pops are so incredibly rich and heavenly! Oh my word! So good! They do take some time, so you need to plan ahead before making them, but they are worth it.




This actually turned out to be one of the easiest recipes I've tried as a member of Daring Baker's! Here are the changes I made: I halved the original recipe, I used sweet rice flour in place of the wheat flour, and I used additional vanilla extract for flavoring. Next time I make these pops I will reduce the amount of sugar used in the cheesecake since the candy coating is so sweet. I will also try using a lower-fat cream cheese, so the saturated fat content is not so high in the overall recipe. Other than that... these yummy pops were so delicious and worth every bit of the time spent making them!!

But you will need a Stairmaster. Now.




Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake Pops
Adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy Gooey by Jill O’Connor

2 1/2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, a tablespoon!)
2 tablespoons evaporated milk or heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
toothpicks or 20 lollipop sticks (toothpicks worked fine!)
1 (12 oz.) package of Hershey's Cinnamon Chips
1 tablespoon Spectrum Palm Shortening

Directions:

• Position your oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Set some water to boil.
• In your mixing bowl at low speed, beat together cream cheese, sugar, sweet rice flour, and salt until smooth.
  
• Add the whole eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in vanilla and evaporated milk or cream.
• Grease an 8" cake pan (not springform), and pour batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firmand slightly golden on top. 35-55 minutes. (The cheesecake will not "jiggle" when it is done, it should look and feel set if you gently touch the top!)

• Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.
  
• When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2 ounce balls and place them onto a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick or toothpick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops uncovered, until they are very hard, 1-2 hours or overnight.
  

• When cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the cinnamon chips. You can melt them over a double broiler, or if you are lazy like me, you can simply put them in a glass bowl along with the tablespoon of palm shortening and microwave them for 1 minute. Stir the melted chips and shortening until they are smooth and liquid.
  
• Quickly dip the cheesecake pops one at a time in the melted cinnamon chips, swirling quickly to coat.
  
• Place pops on a clean cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
  
• Refrigerate pops for up to 24 hours, or until ready to serve!
  
• Enjoy!!

For a printer friendly version, click here.

Many thanks to Elle at Feeding my Enthusiams and Deborah at Taste and Tell for hosting this month's Daring Baker's challenge!
Great Job Girls!!!

Check out the Daring Baker's blogroll for a list of Alternative Baker's who are also gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, etc...