Christmas Baking Part 2: Oreo Balls

Another thing I made for Christmas is Oreo balls. THEY WERE AMAZING AND SO EASY! I found them on a blog called Homemaking Fun. I didn't want to make them ahead of time because they're mixed with cream cheese and I didn't have room in my fridge. Besides, I ALWAYS have an issue with refrigerating chocolate covered things because they get white dots every time I do and it makes them look old. I don't want people to think I'm feeding them bad food.. lol. I definitely think everyone who likes Oreos should try these.. Who doesn't like Oreos though? 0_o

To make these you'll need:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package Oreos, crushed
23 ounce bag chocolate chips w/ 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
(OR chocolate candy coating)

-Crush the Oreos (including the filling) into fine crumbs with a food processor

-Mix the Oreo crumbs and the softened cream cheese together with a mixer

-Once the mixture is combined roll it into balls

-Lay the balls on a lined cookie sheet (Do not let the balls touch each other)

-When all the mixture is all on a cookie sheet put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes

-While they are hardening melt the milk chocolate and shortening (or chocolate candy coating, which is what i used in green and red) in the microwave on 50% power for 1 minute, Stir.. and then microwave on 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is fully melted

-Dip one ball at a time into the chocolate and place on a piece of wax/parchment paper to dry (I used a lollipop stick and tapped the stick softly against the side of the bowl to get the excess chocolate off and then stuck the sticks into a piece of styrofoam to let them dry, Then I slowly pulled the sticks out and set them on a piece of tin foil so I could drizzle the opposite color of chocolate across them with a pastry bag, or you could use a small sandwich bag with a hole cut in the end)

Again I have some terrible pictures! I was so busy that I just took them on my camera phone =\

This is one batch that I put into a christmas tin in mini cupcake papers..

I wrapped these in treat bags with matching ribbon and wrapped a box with wrapping paper..

Oreo Cheesecake

I made a few Oreo cheesecakes this weekend from my mothers recipe. She got the recipe from my grandmother who found it in the newspaper, it's called 'Cheese Cake Father Sarducci'. When ever my mother makes this, which is usually holidays, everybody goes crazy for it! She usually makes it plain with a graham cracker crust but I wanted to try something different so i made an Oreo crust for all three cakes and one with crushed Oreos on top the other two with crushed Oreos inside. The first cake I made with the Oreos on top came out okay in the center but the Oreo topping tasted a little bit burnt. The other two came out good with the Oreos inside but all three were a little bit oily from the cream inside the cookies. When I make this again I'm probably just going to add the cookies to the top after it's cooked.

Here's the recipe and a few pictures.

Cheesecake

-1 pound ricotta cheese
-2 cups sour cream
-16 ounces cream cheese
-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-3 extra large eggs
-3 tablespoons flour
-3 tablespoons cornstarch
-5 teaspoons vanilla
-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

- Cream the 16 ounces of cream cheese in a bowl
- Add the pound of ricotta cheese to the cream cheese and mix until ricotta looks creamy
- Mix in the 2 cups of sour cream
- Then add the 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of butter
- Increase speed to medium and add 3 eggs, 3 tablespoons of flour, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 5 teaspoons of vanilla and 5 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- Beat on the highest speed possible without splattering for 5 more minutes
- Pour mixture into a 10 inch spring form pan
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour
- Turn the heat off after the hour of cooking and leave it in the oven for one more hour

Tips-

- Make sure ALL ingredients are at room temperature before making!
- Bake the cake directly in the middle of the oven.
- Do not open the oven door while cooking or cooling.
- If you have a large capacity food processor. You could use it to mix all the ingredients together and it will help to blend the ricotta for a creamier cake.
- Place a large cookie sheet in the oven filled with cold water one rack underneath the cake. This will prevent cracking on top of the cheesecake.


Oreo crust

-1 1/2 cups Oreo crumbs
-2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

- Mix together Oreos and melted butter
- Flatten the mixture into the spring form pan just a little bit higher than the seam of the pan


These cakes were made in a smaller pan and needed to cook for a little less than an hour. That's why they're a little bit more browned than i was hoping. Still edible though =P






I couldn't even get in a picture of this one whole.. lol

Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

My boyfriend ate this Oreo ice cream sandwich cake at a friends house and our friends grandmother gave my boyfriend the recipe because he wanted me to make it for him. I'm not sure what magazine she found the recipe in but I know that it is on the Kraft foods website also. I make this ALL the time and we never have leftovers! The only thing that i don't like about it is that it melts extremely fast. So there is no way that you would be able to bring this as a dessert to anyone elses house, unless they live really close.

Recipe-

I still have the original lol



Ingredients-

-1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping, warmed
-1 eight ounce tub Cool Whip whipped topping, Thawed, divided
-1 package chocolate Jell-O instant pudding powdered mix
-8 Oreo cookies, Chopped, Divided
-12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches


Directions-

-Mix 1/2 container of Cool Whip, hot fudge, Jell-O powder mix and most of the Oreos in a bowl







-Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on a piece of aluminum foil





-Top with half the Cool Whip mixture




-Repeat with one more layer and top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches





-Frost top and sides with remaining Cool Whip





-Top with a handful of the chopped Oreos





-Bring up the sides of the foil and wrap the sides of the cake





-Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving

This is what it looks like after its been cut into! =]