Dropped Cake Pops - Heavy Chocolate?

[Jamie "Baker"]

I've made cake pops a few times without too much trouble. This time I decided to use dark chocolate and I'm wondering if that is contributing to this recent failed attempt. When I spoon the chocolate onto the pop it starts to get really heavy and wants to fall right off the stick. The chocolate also seems pretty thick. It doesn't seem to matter whether I use it a little warm or cool it down - does the same thing. I did try to temper the chocolate before I started.

The cake is a spice cake with orange and other yummy warm fall spices. I used my own frosting in the mix - butter and powdered sugar. I wonder if that might have been too heavy?

The thing is the consistency of the chocolate is still not right though. It seemed when I used milk chocolate in the past it coated much better.

Thoughts?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I've made cake pops a few times without too much trouble. This time I decided to use dark chocolate and I'm wondering if that is contributing to this recent failed attempt. When I spoon the chocolate onto the pop it starts to get really heavy and wants to fall right off the stick. The chocolate also seems pretty thick. It doesn't seem to matter whether I use it a little warm or cool it down - does the same thing. I did try to temper the chocolate before I started.

The cake is a spice cake with orange and other yummy warm fall spices. I used my own frosting in the mix - butter and powdered sugar. I wonder if that might have been too heavy?

The thing is the consistency of the chocolate is still not right though. It seemed when I used milk chocolate in the past it coated much better.

Thoughts?

I gave some cake pop tips to another poster a couple of months ago where I addressed the cake pop falling off the stick. Link below.

https://www.baking-forums.com/threads/cake-pop-fail.5127/#post-37459

When you say dark chocolate I’m assuming you’re using real chocolate, not chocolate chips or candy melts.

If your chocolate is too thick most likely your overheating it. Make sure you are tempering the chocolate to the correct temperature. When I temper chocolate I test to make sure the chocolate is in temper. I just coat the back of a demitasse spoon in chocolate and let it sit for several minutes.

If your chocolate is properly tempered it should be liquid enough for dipping. I am not a fan of microwave tempering. I prefer seeding using the double boiler method. I leave the water at a very low simmer so I can re-warm the chocolate if it gets too cool.

====

Seeding method

SET ASIDE 25% of the chocolate to seed


Melting Temperatures

DARK CHOCOLATE: 120F/49C
MILK CHOCOLATE: 116F/47C
WHITE CHOCOLATE: 114F/45C


Cooling temperatures to bring into temper

DARK CHOCOLATE: 84F/29C
MILK CHOCOLATE: 81F/27C
WHITE CHOCOLATE: 79F/26C


Most chocolates have a similar working temperature the exception is a Valrhona

Working Temperature Valrhona

DARK CHOCOLATE: 89F-90F/32C
MILK CHOCOLATE: 86F-87F/30C
WHITE CHOCOLATE: 82F-83F/28C




Working Temperature most other brands chocolate

• Dark chocolate working temperature 88 – 89° F (31° C)
• Milk and white chocolates working temperature 84 – 86° F (29 – 30° C)
• Do not reheat tempered chocolate above 90° (30° C) or let if fall more than a degree or two below the working temperature.

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum @Jamie "Baker"

I think it must be a tempering issue. When dark chocolate is melted and in temper it is quite thin - thinner than milk chocolate. I cheat when I temper - I melt it to the right temperature then add powdered cocoa powder. Works a treat, but it's quite expensive to buy.