These Cheesecake Pops Are Tops!

These pops were so much fun to make and eat. I was very glad my husband helped, though. I dipped the pops in chocolate and placed them on the wire rack for a final dripping. Hubby then rolled the chocolate pops in the nuts, coconut, and jimmies. I highly recommend a team effort for these delicious pops!

These are the unadorned pops. So fun & easy to do!

A little curly ribbon makes everything festive!
My husband (and helper) cleaning up.

Cheesecake
5 8-oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
30 - 40 8 inch lollipop sticks
Boiling water as needed

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well on low speed after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and cream.

Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a spring form pan) and pour batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan.

Bake in 325 degree oven 45 - 60 minutes or until firm and top is slightly golden brown.

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 cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball.

Freeze the cheese cake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 - 2 hours.

Makes 30 - 40 cheesecake pops.

Chocolate Dip
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped, any flavor you prefer or use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionery coating, or wafer chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Assorted toppings such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees, coconut
Ribbon or other decorations

Directions:
When cheese cake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate by melting 1/2 of the chocolate and 1/2 of the shortening in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir the chocolate until melted and very smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or it will loose its shine after it has dried. Add more chocolate and shortening as needed, maintaining proportions. You can microwave the chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Quickly dip the frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate and swirl to cover completely. Shake off any excess chocolate into the melted chocolate. Set on a rack for a final dripping. Then quickly roll chocolate covered cheesecake pop in toppings as desired. Set on a rack to dry.

Refrigerate pops until ready to serve or up to 24 hours. Decorate with ribbon or other decorations.