Oreo Balls

It might as well have been the talk of the town.
I mean, all my friend's were doing it.
But it wasn't too often we could get our hands on some.
It was almost like a hot black market item.
Because boy, when you got your hands on some, you didn't want to tell a soul!
And when people found out about your stash, oh...
Did a fight ever break out!
Well, you know what I'm talking about of course?

The legendary Oreo Ball!
(Dun dun dunnn.....)
The small, bite size treat; it's probably not even an inch in diameter.

And when you bite into it the cool, thin layer of chocolate cracks under pressure.
And soon you're plunging into a pool of smooth chocolaty, nostalgic goodness.


I've heard that some people love them so much, they refer to them as "O Balls."
"O" as in orgas--- Whoop! Sorry, this a family blog, got a little ahead of myself there.

Sorry, I must compose myself.
(P.S. Let's just bring this to a screeching halt; if you don't like Oreo cookies, you may want to turn back now. Because the enthusiasm for these crisp chocolate cookies with creamy center may take you aback.)

This treat is everything you could have ever dreamed of!
The two contrasting textures make it a great treat.
Yet the flavors are all too similar to that cookie mankind has been dunking into milk for decades now; it's such a familiar flavor that this treat is likely to bring together generations of people from across the globe!
Magnificent, to say the least.

Okay, excuse the build up, but I just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of how much I love these.
Now, they're not some mind-blowing pastry out of the French Pastry School.
(Holla at the school I want to attend!)
But they're a simple dessert, and they make a great little treat.
Like I said, the flavor is something everyone is going to enjoy; it's going to take you right back to the taste of that first Oreo cookie you ever enjoyed: the crispness of the cookie, the creamy center, and the perfect childlike wisps of chocolate.
Ahh....
Not to mention the short and simple recipe!
Are you ready?
Pencils, pens, paper, go!
(One package Oreos, One package cream cheese, One block chocolate candy coating)

Woah! Sorry, that was so short and quick I bet you didn't even see it!

-One package Oreo Cookies
-One 8 oz. package Cream Cheese
-One 16oz. package Chocolate Candy Coating (We'll get back to this in a moment!)

First: Crush the Oreo Cookies
into a fine crumb.
(A food processor works great!)

Second: Cut the cream cheese into chunks and blend into the cookie crumbs until you achieve a blob of dough. (Scientific, right?)

(Again, food processor is great
or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.)
(Worst case scenario, allow the cream cheese to come up to room temperature, and knead it into the cookie crumbs.)

Now pop this into an air tight container, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

If you rush the following couple of processes you will be most frustrated!

Pull the dough out of the fridge, and divide into bite size balls.
(I used a small cookie scoop, it worked great! But you can just eyeball it.)
Now roll these until they are nice and smooth and set them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
Chill once again, at least an hour.

Right before you remove the chilled treats from the fridge, melt the chocolate.
(Here's the deal with the candy coating! I use the candy coating because it is thinner than chocolate, has a milk chocolate flavor, and dries quickly with a nice thin, crisp coat. Which, is what you want, you don't want to feel like you are biting through a 1/4" thick layer of chocolate.
If you want a more sophisticated or darker flavor, feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, but be sure to thin it out with a little shortening AND using regular chocolate will not dry as quickly!)

So melt, your chocolate of choice according to package directions.
(I don't care what anyone says, the microwave works great as long as you keep your eye on it! Short 30-15 second intervals, 15 seconds once it is getting melty, and stir often!)


HERE, it is best you work in batches, ESPECIALLY if this is your first time rolling or dipping in chocolate.
Take out about a quarter of the Oreo balls from the fridge, roll them one-by-one in the chocolate, and place on a sheet of parchment or wax paper to set-up. (The candy coating will set up right before your eyes; it's great! Chocolate will take longer and may require refrigerator time depending on the thickness of the chocolate layer and the temperature of your house!)

And once they are set, you're done!

Keep them refrigerated, they do have cream cheese in them, and enjoy!


TIPS:
-It is best to work in batches when rolling because I got about 40 Oreo Balls out of one batch, and by the time you get to the 20th or 30th, depending on how quick you move, they will be soft and mushy, and they will fall apart in the chocolate.
(Oh no!)
-If you notice your chocolate thickening, give it 15 seconds in the microwave. You don't want your chocolate to be chunky!


I know this seems awfully long winded, but I had to share my enthusiasm and my tips and tricks I have learned along the way!
When I first made these, they were so ugly and not quite round, but they were still delicious!
My technique has improved by leaps and bounds over the years, and I'm sure yours will too!
Or maybe you'll just be a natural!





Happy Holidays, everybody!
And thank you for stopping by!

Cupcakes & Kisses,
Paula-Marie