Wednesday 4 June 2014

Gluten Free Chocolate Protein Pops {And a Protein Mistake!}




Sometimes things just don't work out.

You try to put the pieces together, make adjustments, add things, and yet still you come up short. Too lumpy, too runny, to thick, too thin, not sweet enough, to sweet, and the list goes on and on!

I have been wanting to do 'protein oreos' for a while now. So I finally sat down to write the recipe and I promptly headed to the kitchen Sunday morning to work some magic.

Made the dough...so far so good. I even piped them a la French macarons!












Baked the cookies....also, not too shabby. Pretty cute, actually!




















Then the icing. A bit runny...but...we will see what happens?

This happened:












And this:











Delicious, yes. But a runny, liquidy soupy stream of godforsaken protein mess!

Then I got so angry and cursed so loudly as I fervently mashed all the cookies into a giant bowl.


Then a light bulb went off...I added the icing to my mashed up cookies, rolled them into balls and then...















CAKE POPS!


PROTEIN CAKE POPS! PROTEIN POPS! PROPS! Ok maybe not THAT far...BUT STILL!


Sometimes when life gives you lemons...or in this case failed pr-oreos (protein oreos, bazinga!) you make protein pops. That analogy will catch on soon, I just know it!


Before I show you the recipe, know that I made so many little cookies because I was making oreo cookies. If you aren't...then just make normal sized cookies--they will get mashed up later anyways!

It seems like a lot of steps BUT it's pretty easy. Hopefully the pictures will help. Just remember - cake/cookie mix gets mashed up with icing. Then you roll it into balls. Freeze. Skewer. Dip. SERVE!

Let's get to it!






Gluten Free Chocolate Protein Pops

Yields 36  pops

Protein Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
  • 1  cup chocolate rice protein (SunWarrior)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 2 eggs, separated 
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup dates, soaked 
  • 5 drops stevia or 5 packets stevia
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk + extra 

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  2. Mix the first 5 ingredients (flour, protein, baking soda, salt, cocoa) in a large bowl and set aside
  3. Mix the stevia, egg yolks, yogurt, applesauce, vanilla and milk alongside the dates after you have soaked them. Blend together in a blender. 
  4. In a separate bowl, bring your two egg whites to stiff peaks.
  5. Add your wet mixture to your dry mixture until you have a cohesive dough. Add extra almond milk (if needed) to allow your mixture to come together.
  6. Fold in egg whites. 
  7. Place on a baking sheet in large spoonfuls, pressing them down slightly and leaving an inch of room (at least) between cookies. 
  8. Let sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes (this gives them better texture, not sure why!) *optional
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies become slightly golden and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean 
  10. Set aside on the counter to crumble for our protein pops!
*Add in WHATEVER you want to the mix. Sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts, etc!

**You can also just make these into cookies like in the picture and add chocolate chips to the batter for sweetness! You don't have to make protein pops. But oh my God, it's worth it. 

Vanilla Protein Icing

Yields enough icing for protein pop recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup light or fat free cream cheese, melted
  • 5-10 drops stevia 
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used whey)
  • 3-4 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 3-4 squares white chocolate, melted *optional

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients in a blender
  2. Pour into a large bowl and allow to set 


Protein Pop How To

  1. Crumble your cookies in a large mixing bowl (use your hands to make them into a fine crumb) and add your icing
  2. As you mix, your cookies and icing should form a large sticky dough
  3. Using your hands, take a tablespoon or two of dough and roll it into a ball
  4. Set aside on a lined baking sheet or in a large container
  5. Repeat process until you finished your dough!
  6. Place in the freezer for 1 hour (or more)
  7. Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate in a shallow bowl in the microwave (microwave safe bowl!) in 30 second increments until the chocolate is fully melted
  8. Dip your lollipop stick in chocolate and then into protein pop
  9. Allow to harden
  10. Once firmly on the stick, dip your ball into the chocolate, tilting back and forth, side to side to coat the entire pop, slowly shaking off the excess
  11. Allow to dry standing up in a cake pop rack, stand, or simply put them facing 'stick up' to have pops with flat bottoms!
  12. If you desire, while the chocolate is wet, add sprinkles, extra chocolate chips or other fun details!
** If your chocolate firms up, stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. You may run out of chocolate so make sure you have extra!






Melt your chocolate:






Let's be real...you want to drink this, don't you?




Dip stick in chocolate, then in protein pop!











Allow them to dry...THEN DIP!












DIP IT GOOD!















Add sprinkles, mini chocolate chips (dark chocolate!) and other desired fun things.














I ran out of sticks. And chocolate. Hence the little stick-less protein pops without as much chocolate. Although I'd have done this regardless, it's always nice to mix it up (AKA I was tooooo lazy to go out and buy more stuff. Who has time for that noise!).

Can we just talk about how MOIST and AMAZING these are? No joke. It's a little ridiculous. They taste like truffles.

The inside is silky smooth and delicious. A bit like mousse even. I can't even compare it to anything, just know it's absolutely delicious. Probably my favourite 'protein' treat I have made thus far.













Do you see it? Awwwwwe yeah. That inside. MMM.

I made such a huge mess. This is not an undertaking for the faint of heart...seriously. It is time consuming. But a nice break from the usual protein bars I make!











\
Not to mention they're pretty. Sprinkles are still my jam. They just make everything so much more exciting. Except for chicken. I can honestly say they would ruin chicken.










Boom.

Check out my reflection in this protein pop! Or don't. I was not camera ready. WHICH....is almost always the case. But the protein pops don't judge..














When the chocolate sets it hardens and adds a great crunch factor to the soft protein-y insides of these pops. I am insanely excited to try different flavours of these, because the texture is unlike anything I have ever had.

I guarantee you will love these. I also guarantee you will make a mess making them. Unless you are far more patient than I, which I am sure is the case...

Chocolate.

Dipped in chocolate.

Covered in chocolate.









One last tip? You may want to add some coconut oil to the chocolate to help it thin out for the pops. Normal chocolate is fine but it's a touch thick after it's been exposed to air for long.

IN CONCLUSION...with the benefit of added protein, no artificial sugars or colours (minus the sprinkles...shhhh!) and no gluten! I didn't use any butter--just some coconut oil and I try and use dark chocolate when making healthier treats.

Basically...set aside a few hours on a Sunday and enjoy these beauties. Plus the recipe made a bunch so I'm going to share!

Which I usually hate doing!

Seriously.


Happy Dipping!

XO


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