I've made these before, but not for appearance sake 
But now I'm making some to raise money for a close friend's cancer-related expenses, and I want them to look as pretty as possible so people will buy more at the bake sale.
I just can't get these things perfectly round and then dipped perfectly smooth. And I tried to do the apple shape ones and it was a disaster. I'm going to spend a lot of time at Bakerella's site today reading up on them, but I was hoping maybe someone had some tricks up their sleeve they could share? Or are there molds or something I can use to get these shapes?
Any help you could offer would be so appreciated!
Thanks! 
I believe it was someone on here, or maybe on the Wilton forums, told me to use a little bit of vegetable oil to thin the melted chocolate. I used to use the Wilton melter, but it never melted it enough. The best way for me so far is the old fashion way. Melting it in a pan over boiling water, and adding the little bit of veg. oil. Hope that helped!
I usually shape the pops and put them in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Then, I take them out and fine tune the shapes. It's a little easier to work with them when they aren't so soft. Good Luck!
OOh! Finally something I can help someone else with instead of asking all my own questions on here! I've been making these for about 2 years now, and recently for fundraisers, so I know exactly what you mean about wanting them to be smooth and perfect.
1) Perfectly round balls: When you mix up the cake/frosting, chill in the fridge before forming initial balls, then stick those balls in the freezer. Leave in for at least an hour, then pull out, and re-roll again, this time smoothing out the edges to make it more perfectly spherical.
2) Dipping: I use almond bark or wilton candy melts to cover mine, and the secret is crisco! Play around with this until you get the right consistency, but I generally add at least a tablespoon to a whole package of almond bark, and sometimes 1.5 or 2. You can add it as you melt the chocolate or after, just make sure that you stir well to make sure it's all combined. This thins it out a bit and lets you achieve a super-glossy finish
3) I tend to make cake balls, not cake pops when I make them for fundraisers. I have found that the best way to present them is to get the mini cupcake liners, and to set the balls in those after dipping them, rather than on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. That way you don't get the little rings of chocolate around the bottom that you either have to cut off or ignore.
4) Make sure you let the cake balls sit out on the counter for at least 5 minutes before dipping them in the chocolate; when they warm up they expand, and they'll put a nice big crack in your bark coating if you don't.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck!
OOh! Finally something I can help someone else with instead of asking all my own questions on here! I've been making these for about 2 years now, and recently for fundraisers, so I know exactly what you mean about wanting them to be smooth and perfect.
1) Perfectly round balls: When you mix up the cake/frosting, chill in the fridge before forming initial balls, then stick those balls in the freezer. Leave in for at least an hour, then pull out, and re-roll again, this time smoothing out the edges to make it more perfectly spherical.
2) Dipping: I use almond bark or wilton candy melts to cover mine, and the secret is crisco! Play around with this until you get the right consistency, but I generally add at least a tablespoon to a whole package of almond bark, and sometimes 1.5 or 2. You can add it as you melt the chocolate or after, just make sure that you stir well to make sure it's all combined. This thins it out a bit and lets you achieve a super-glossy finish
3) I tend to make cake balls, not cake pops when I make them for fundraisers. I have found that the best way to present them is to get the mini cupcake liners, and to set the balls in those after dipping them, rather than on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. That way you don't get the little rings of chocolate around the bottom that you either have to cut off or ignore.
4) Make sure you let the cake balls sit out on the counter for at least 5 minutes before dipping them in the chocolate; when they warm up they expand, and they'll put a nice big crack in your bark coating if you don't.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck!
ah ha! That is why I have a few crack on me! I couldn't for the life of me figure that out. I just started making these about a month ago and am now hooked! I use molds to make them into shapes and my airbrush to color them.
Now, what is and where can I get "Almond bark"? I don't think I ever heard of it before. Rosa:
Where do you live? I suppose I should have said Almond Bark Coating instead of just "Almond Bark." It is a chocolate product available at many grocery stores that is much easier to work with than chocolate chips, etc, when it comes to coating things. If you have ever worked with Wilton Candy Melts, it is like a giant block of candy melts:
[img][/img]
But depending on where you live, it may or may not be easy to find. I see it all the time at Walmart, Target, Kroger, Tom Thumb in Texas, but not necessarily at higher-end stores like Central Market or Whole Foods. My sister, who lives in Australia, can't get the stuff at all. You may be able to find it on Amazon, but honestly I haven't looked.
If not, you can play around with tempering chocolate, but it's well...temperamental! Good luck finding it, I promise it makes everything easier!
...and while I'm at it, when you dip your cake balls, melt the coating in a deep bowl: I use my 4 cup pyrex measuring cup. Using something deep like this lets you "drop" the cake balls in instead of having to roll them around in a shallower thing. Then I just fish them back out with two forks at the base of the ball, and I get lovely smooth finishes. Sorry I forgot that earlier!
Here is what mine look like in the mini muffin tin liners. I think it makes them much more professional-looking for sale:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1764735004860&set=a.1764732444796.2092890.1433670158&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1764735164864&set=a.1764732444796.2092890.1433670158&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1764734884857&set=a.1764732444796.2092890.1433670158&type=1&theater
Oh my gosh!! Thank you all so much for the help - can't wait to try all these tips out!
OOh! Finally something I can help someone else with instead of asking all my own questions on here! I've been making these for about 2 years now, and recently for fundraisers, so I know exactly what you mean about wanting them to be smooth and perfect.
1) Perfectly round balls: When you mix up the cake/frosting, chill in the fridge before forming initial balls, then stick those balls in the freezer. Leave in for at least an hour, then pull out, and re-roll again, this time smoothing out the edges to make it more perfectly spherical.
2) Dipping: I use almond bark or wilton candy melts to cover mine, and the secret is crisco! Play around with this until you get the right consistency, but I generally add at least a tablespoon to a whole package of almond bark, and sometimes 1.5 or 2. You can add it as you melt the chocolate or after, just make sure that you stir well to make sure it's all combined. This thins it out a bit and lets you achieve a super-glossy finish
3) I tend to make cake balls, not cake pops when I make them for fundraisers. I have found that the best way to present them is to get the mini cupcake liners, and to set the balls in those after dipping them, rather than on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. That way you don't get the little rings of chocolate around the bottom that you either have to cut off or ignore.
4) Make sure you let the cake balls sit out on the counter for at least 5 minutes before dipping them in the chocolate; when they warm up they expand, and they'll put a nice big crack in your bark coating if you don't.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck!
Thanks for the tips! I can never get mine glossy.
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