Orange MAKES 12 14 PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME 40 mins CHILLING TIME 1h 400 500g (14oz 1lb) plain cake finely grated zest of 1 small unwaxed orange White chocolate cream 100g (3½oz) white chocolate 85g (3oz/ cup) unsalted butter, melted 85g (3oz) blue candy melts 85g (3oz) yellow candy melts 85g (3oz) pink candy melts sugar strands (jimmies) sugar sprinkles 100s and 1000s (nonpareils) 1 Crumble the cake into a mixing bowl and add the finely grated orange zest. White chocolate cream 1 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water. Remove from the heat and stir gently. Set one tablespoon of melted chocolate aside. 2 Mix the cake crumbs and orange zest with the rest of the melted chocolate and melted butter with your hands, until smooth. Roll into balls. Dip cake pop sticks into the tablespoon of melted chocolate, and then insert into the cake balls. 3 Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and chill for 1 hour until firm. 1 Melt the candy melts in separate heatproof bowls over simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir gently. 2 Dip the cake balls into the melted candy melts to coat completely. 1 Hold the cake pops over a sheet of nonstick baking paper, and sprinkle over the decoration of your choice. Stand in a glass or cup and leave to set. 6
Strawberries MAKES 25 30 PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME 1h CHILLING TIME 1h 500 600g (1 1 lb) plain or strawberry cake Buttercream 55g (2oz/¼ cup) unsalted butter 225g (8oz/2¼ cups) icing (confectioner s) sugar 1 2 tablespoons cream, 18% fat 2 teaspoons strawberry syrup pink food colouring 300g (11oz) white chocolate red powdered food colouring 225g (8oz) green fondant (sugarpaste) icing (confectioner s) sugar 110g (4oz) white fondant (sugarpaste) 1 Crumble the cake into fine crumbs in a bowl. Buttercream 1 Beat the butter until soft. Gradually sift in the icing (confectioner s) sugar, beating until smooth. Gradually beat in the cream, strawberry syrup and colouring until combined. 2 Add the buttercream to the cake crumbs and mix to make a moist mixture that sticks together. 3 Take rounded teaspoons of mixture, and roll into balls with your hands. Place on a sheet of non-stick baking paper on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour until firm. 1 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and gently stir in a little food colouring until blended. 2 Insert cake pop sticks into the cake balls and dip into the melted chocolate. Stand in a glass or cup. 1 Roll out the green fondant (sugarpaste) on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Cut out flower shapes with a cutter or card stencil and place on top of the cake pops. 2 Roll small pieces of white fondant into tiny balls and attach to the cake pops and the flower centres. Leave to set. 14
Soccer Balls MAKES 8 PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME 1h 20 mins 55g (2oz/¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 1 egg few drops vanilla extract 60ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) cream, 48% fat 55g (2oz/½ cup) self-raising flour 200g (7oz) white candy melts 250g (9oz) black fondant (sugarpaste) icing (confectioner s) sugar 1 Heat the oven to 180 C (160 C fan/ 350 F/gas 4). Lightly grease the moulds of a cake pop baking tray. 2 Whisk together the caster (superfine) sugar and egg in a mixing bowl until thick and foamy. 3 Whisk in the vanilla and cream until combined. 4 Stir in the flour and mix well until blended. 5 Spoon into the cake pop moulds. You may have a little mixture left over you can make this into cupcakes. Place the cake pop tray onto a baking tray (sheet) and cover with the top of the cake pop baking tray. Bake for 15 20 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the moulds for 30 minutes, then turn out of the moulds and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 1 Melt the candy melts in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water. 2 Dip cake pop sticks into the candy melts, then insert the sticks into the cakes and dip into the melted candy melts. Stand in a glass or cup. 3 Mark lines in a soccer pattern with a wooden cocktail stick. 1 Roll out the fondant (sugarpaste) thinly on a surface lightly dusted with icing (confectioner s) sugar. 2 Cut out 5-sided shapes for the soccer balls and attach to the cake balls using the melted candy melts as a paste. Reheat this if necessary. Leave to set. 20
Wedding MAKES 12 16 PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME 45 mins CHILLING TIME 1h 200g (7oz) dark (semi-sweet) chocolate, 60% cocoa solids 500g (1lb) rich fruit cake, crumbled 4 tablespoons chopped almonds Covering 400g (14oz/4 cups) royal icing powder 4 5 tablespoons lemon juice hot water white 100s and 1000s (nonpareils) white sugar roses white sugar pearls 1 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water. 2 Put the crumbled cake into a mixing bowl and stir in the chocolate and almonds until well combined. 3 Roll some of the mixture into balls and shape some into thick discs (for the wedding cake pops) of varying sizes. 4 Assemble 3 discs for each wedding cake a larger one at the base, a smaller one for the middle and a small one for the top. Insert a cake pop stick into each cake pop. 5 Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and chill for 1 hour. Covering 1 Sift the royal icing powder into a deep bowl. Beat in the lemon juice and beat well until thick and smooth. Add a little hot water, beating again until thick and smooth. 2 Dip the cake pops in the icing (frosting) until well coated. 1 Sprinkle the cake balls with 100s and 1000s (nonpareils) and place the sugar roses on top. Stand in glasses or cups and leave to set. 2 Place pearls around the tops of the wedding cakes. 3 Beat the remaining icing again until softly peaking. If it is too thick, add a little water. Spoon into a piping bag. 4 Pipe dots and swags on the wedding cakes. Leave to set. Tip If you can t find royal icing powder, use: 400g (14oz/4 cups) icing (confectioner s) sugar 5 tablespoons meringue powder ½ tablespoon cream of tartar 3 tablespoons water. Mix together all the ingredients and beat well. Add more water, if needed, until smooth and thick. Continue to beat until stiff. 46
Index Bears...28 Bride and Groom...44 Chicks...32 Chocolate...8 Chocolate Beans...10 Christmas...38 Coconut...12 Cupcakes...16 Easter Eggs...34 Faces...24 Halloween...36 Hearts...42 Monsters...22 Orange...6 Rabbits...30 Snowmen...26 Soccer Balls...20 Strawberries...14 Teapots and Teacups...18 Wedding...46 Gift Boxes...40 48