Need Tips for Making Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops Successfully?

[merego]

I tried these this weekend and all I can say is: Arrrggggghhhh!!!

What a mess and what a appointment. I am not wholly giving up on them because they are pretty cool, but not as enthusiastic was before.

I followed the recipe almost exactly.

I had a hard time with the sticks though. I used the small scoop and found that after I scooped it out I had to form the ball using my hands by pressing the brownie into a ball. That was the only way I could get it to form a ball.

The problem came when it was time to cover them. I used white almond bark (with powdered orange food dye, I wanted them to look like little pumpkins).
I tried to dip them with the stick in but found that they would fall off.

And then when I tried just dropping them in the bark and sticking the sticks in they would break the brownie balls apart.

Some of mine fell off too, so I used a spoon and drizzled the chocolate on
(as suggested in this thread) I also put the sprinkles on myself vs rolling them in the sprinkle mix. I did put mine in a mini muffin cupliner and wrapped in cellophane with a ribbon. Very cute, just time consuming. I am wondering if we could make the brownies in the mini muffin pan then just put them out and mold them in balls??? thoughts anyone??

 

[Ish]

I made these for my show on friday night. They were good. I used the small scoop and sucker sticks. I didn't dip mine I used a spoon and dripped it over them and put the sprinkles on them while wet.They turned out very cute. I used halloween sprinkles and put them in individual halloween cellophane bags. My daughter teaches special ed and she is going to make these for her kids for a treat for halloween.
someone suggested using pretzel sticks.

You can use the pretzel stick 3 on each side to make a spider... drizzle it with the chocolate and sprinkle it...
They come out really cute... it is the only spider I like....

 

[chefann]

You can use the pretzel stick 3 on each side to make a spider... drizzle it with the chocolate and sprinkle it...
They come out really cute... it is the only spider I like....

If you use 6 pretzels, it's an insect. Arachnids (spiders) have 8 legs.

 

[pampchefsarah]

We did these at our meeting and my Director tried it with that squeezable chocolate that you use over ice cream - "magic shell" or something like that. She sprinkled the sprinkles over instead of rolling and then put them in a paper baking cup. We put them in the freezer for a short time and it worked great. We used lollipop sticks because we couldn't find any candy canes yet.

What Julie didn't see, though, is that after sitting on the counter for a few minutes (well, maybe more like 1/2 hour) the 'shell' got soft and runny, so it's not recommended, unless you're going to eat them right away.

Look!!! It's Julie, my absolutely fabulous Director! Have I mentioned how much I love Julie??!!

 

[JChandler]

Yeah, thanks Sarah for "dinging" my first post ever!
Just kidding - I love you too!!!!!

 

[Sherryskitchen]

I tried these brownie lollipops today for the first time. I read all the suggestions and used most of them. However, they still did not turn out! They were a pain to lift out of the chocolate. I placed them in the cupcake holders, sprinkled and stuck a pretzel stick in the center. They did not harden for 30 minutes. Maybe I tried them with the brownies too warm. I could put them in the refrigerator but I think that is just too much time to do at a show. When they finally hardened they were still a mess to remove from the cupcake holder and you certainly could not hold them like a lollipop. I have no idea where to find the actual lollipop sticks that others suggested. I have a host who wants to do these for her show. Hopefully I can get her to change her mind. I am so frustrated!!!!:grumpy:

 

[babywings76]

I tried these brownie lollipops today for the first time. I read all the suggestions and used most of them. However, they still did not turn out! They were a pain to lift out of the chocolate. I placed them in the cupcake holders, sprinkled and stuck a pretzel stick in the center. They did not harden for 30 minutes. Maybe I tried them with the brownies too warm. I could put them in the refrigerator but I think that is just too much time to do at a show. When they finally hardened they were still a mess to remove from the cupcake holder and you certainly could not hold them like a lollipop. I have no idea where to find the actual lollipop sticks that others suggested. I have a host who wants to do these for her show. Hopefully I can get her to change her mind. I am so frustrated!!!!:grumpy:

hijack...I had a host really want to do the homemade for the holidays. After hearing how these and the other recipes weren't too terrific for demos, I successfully steered her towards letting me do the Taffy Apple Tartlets. I love these brownie lollipops, but I can't bring myself to do them at a show.

 

[ChefMary412]

I have been doing the brownie lollipops for my shows this month...
using the mini muffin tin to make the brownies made it easier... they were not quite balls, but looked kind of like bells... worked great. During the hardening stage, we made a dip with sweet sprinkles, talked about the trifle bowl as a centerpiece and played queen of shoppers.s.. I liked it for a show.

 

[HockeyLover]

My host tomorrow night desperately wants to make these. I've never done a demo cold before, I always make it at least once at home before I go in front of a group of people I don't know. I didn't make these because I was thinking they look so easy, what's the big deal? Now I'm worried. She just called me because she can't find almond bark anywhere. She wants to know if bakers chocolate will work instead. Any thoughts?

I have a feeling I will be using the phrase "pampered, not perfect" quite often tomorrow night! Probably doesn't help that this is the first cooking show that I've done since February... It's like being new all over again!

 

[merego]

I have been doing the brownie lollipops for my shows this month...
using the mini muffin tin to make the brownies made it easier... they were not quite balls, but looked kind of like bells... worked great. During the hardening stage, we made a dip with sweet sprinkles, talked about the trifle bowl as a centerpiece and played queen of shoppers.s.. I liked it for a show.

how long did you cook the brownies for? I am making these tomorrow, thanks

 

[Brandi2007]

i couldnt find almond bark anywhere either. i ended up using bakers chocolate an they were still yummy! I admit they were messy but they looked great once completed!

 

[babywings76]

I have been doing the brownie lollipops for my shows this month...
using the mini muffin tin to make the brownies made it easier... they were not quite balls, but looked kind of like bells... worked great. During the hardening stage, we made a dip with sweet sprinkles, talked about the trifle bowl as a centerpiece and played queen of shoppers.s.. I liked it for a show.

That sounds like a great show! Maybe I won't be chicken anymore. I think I'll practice these and see how it goes for me. I still haven't seen candy canes for sale yet--as of a few days ago. Who knows, maybe now they have them since they jump to Christmas stuff so fast.

 

[EpTxGuy]

Here's what I'd like to see....let home office produce a video of how to assemble these things and post it online. They look great in the photos, but I'd really like to see how they make them!

 

[babywings76]

Here's what I'd like to see....let home office produce a video of how to assemble these things and post it online. They look great in the photos, but I'd really like to see how they make them!

That's a great idea!

 

[KimoMakano]

Here's what I'd like to see....let home office produce a video of how to assemble these things and post it online. They look great in the photos, but I'd really like to see how they make them!

I wholeheartedly agree! I really like the idea of these but cannot figure out how they got them to look soooo nice!

 

[cookwithchris]

Try making them using the mini muffin pan! Dip the tops in the chocolate and then the sprinkles. Place into the little baking cups and stick the candy cane in. Worked for me.
I placed into a Christmas cellophane bag tied the tops and gave them out for my guests at my 1yr open house celebration. Everyone loved it!

 

[zmom58]

I made these for an open house and cooked my brownies for 30 min., let them cool 30 min...a bit too long, but they scooped out nicely, I put the peppermint stick, that's all that was available at the time, spooned the melted bark over them, quickly sprinkled them with decorettes and immediately placed them in a mini muffin liner. They were delciousness!! I put one in a mini simple additions square and wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon....So cute!! I would make them again for sure. One tip...roll them by hand so they are good and compact and they won't come apart. And I like the idea of skipping the peppermint stick altogether. Super yummy.
Deb

 

[merego]

Try making them using the mini muffin pan! Dip the tops in the chocolate and then the sprinkles. Place into the little baking cups and stick the candy cane in. Worked for me.
I placed into a Christmas cellophane bag tied the tops and gave them out for my guests at my 1yr open house celebration. Everyone loved it!

I agree, the mini muffin pan works so much better, I have made these 4 times now and it gets easier each time. I had people scarfing them up at an event today and I sold 8 mini muffin pans. I really think they need to change it to making them in the mini muffin pan:chef:

 

[ChefJoyJ]

If you make them in the mini muffin pan, how long do you cook them for?? Do you use a small scoop to evenly portion the batter into the muffin pans? I'm making these tomorrow to practice before my mystery host party (I'm going to wrap in cellophane with ribbon and give to my hosts).

Any tips you can offer would be great!!

 

[candiejayne]

These sound so much like the oreo truffels that I love so much! I gotta try them out sometime!

 

[Bren706]

If you make them in the mini muffin pan, how long do you cook them for?? Do you use a small scoop to evenly portion the batter into the muffin pans? I'm making these tomorrow to practice before my mystery host party (I'm going to wrap in cellophane with ribbon and give to my hosts).

Any tips you can offer would be great!!

I am going to make these for the first time this afternoon. Could someone please tell me how long to cook them in the mini muffin pan? Thanks!

 

[cltrinity]

Made then prior to a show I had on the Dec. 4. The came out great I spooned the chocoalate over instead of dipping, I scooped some of the edging with the soft middle using the sm. scoop then formed into a ball.
Stuck a candy cane in middle. Forgot to mention to the host not to buy the chewy mix of brownie does not form in balls it just falls apart.

But no problem with the low-fat "fudge" brownie

 

[pampchefsarah]

Brenda, did you try them in the mini muffin pan? If so, how long did you bake them, and how did they turn out? I'm practicing them today for a show I'm doing Saturday, and think the muffin pan would be sooo much easier!

 

[dianevill]

No one seems to want to answer how long they'll take in the mini-muffin pan. I looked back at other brownie recipes I have for the DMMP and they say 10-12 minutes at 350. I'd just start keeping an eye on them at about 8 minutes.

 

[pampchefsarah]

I just made these, and will be bringing some to my cluster meeting tonight. I used the Deluxe Mini Muffin Pan (which is now the only way I will make these - so much easier!). Here are my tips:

*I still made fudge brownies, not cakelike (2 eggs instead of three)
*Spritzed the pan with vegetable oil for easier removal
*Used the Small Scoop to fill the cups (can actually get 48 brownies with one mix)
*Baked at 350 for 15 minutes (though, 1 more minute wouldn't have hurt).
*Let cool, then inserted candy canes
*Melted almond bark (1 minute, stir, 1 minute, stir, 30 seconds, stir and use)
*Spooned the almond bark over the brownie and up the candy cane (a little), making sure to fill the whole where the candy cane is inserted.
*Placed brownies onto wax paper. I used the Small Mix & Scrape (which is also what I used to spoon on the almond bark) for stability underneath, but was actually able to use just the candy cane for most.
*Sprinkled decorations on while bark was still wet.

Things to note-
Less mess & hassle, which means a better show!
You can let the brownies cool completely before inserting the candy canes - which means you can actually bake them before you get to the host's house!
You're using the same tools (except the scoop is being used to fill the cups) PLUS the Deluxe Mini Muffin Pan now
You can actually pick the lollipops up by the candy cane once the bark is hardened (it actually didn't take long - only a few minutes - for the bark to harden, maybe because the brownies were cooled).

I was dreading my show on Saturday; now I'm actually looking foward to it!

 

[LeslieSGI]

Thanks! I may try these now due to your improved directions. I know my nieces will be anxious to help make these. (...and then eat them.)​