Monday, April 28, 2008

CHEESECAKE POPS - DARING BAKERS

Once again, it's time for our monthy "Daring Bakers" banter and, as usual, I was extremely excited at the prospect of testing another great recipe. My expectations were high, but April's challenge didn't disappoint me at all...

This month Elle at "Feeding My Enthusiasms" & Deborah at "Taste and Tell" chose to challenge us in a unique and dazzling way by asking us to make "Cheesecake Pops". I must say that I wasn't expecting to produce lollipops, so their idea surprised me positively!

Those cute "Cheesecake Pops" are not terribly difficult to make, but their confection can be tricky at times. So, although you don't need to be hyper concentrated while following the recipe, it is to be said that you still have to not mess it up completely and keep an eye on what you are doing!

The first complication you'll come across is related to the cheesecake's baking time. As a matter of fact, it takes longer to bake than mentioned in the recipe. Instead of the 35-45 minutes required, it took me a good hour in order for it to set. Then, rolling the cheesecakes portions into balls was quite a finicky and messy job as they tended to melt and desintegrate a little in the hands. So, I found out that if you wet your hand before you start shaping the balls, it help a whole lot and doesn't allow the cheesecake to leave a thick coating all over the palm of your hand. In that way, the balls will look a lot neater. Otherwise, apart from those two critical points, and the fact that one needs a big freezer, everything went smoothly and the final result was more than satisfying.

I must say that this cheesecake was one of the best I've ever made or eaten, so I will keep that recipe for my future cream cheese creations. It had a lusciously silky texture and a wonderfully delicate taste, and above all, it never cracked (it looked perfect). The vanilla aroma wasn't overpowering, but just sufficiently present to add a refined flavor to the batter. The semi-dark chocolate coating added an interesting contrast to those lollipops as it's slight bitterness and strong cocoa flavor paired perfectly well with the subtle roundness of the cheesecake...

Being a big cheesecake addict, those melt-in-your-mouth creamy bites were a real hit and rejoiced my gourmet palate. I would even say that I prefer this delectable frozen treat to ice creams (which I enjoy without ever really being overtaken by them, no matter how fine they are). Just simply to die for!

Those pretty and dainty "Cheesecake Pops" are ideal for outdoor/garden festivities, birthdays, brunches, weddings, christenings, etc... as they are kid and party friendly. So, you have no excuse not to try those exquisite calorie bombs!

~ Cheesecake Pops ~
Recipe taken fromSticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa’s Yummy Yums.

Makes 30 – 40 Pops.

Ingredients:
5 8-oz. Packages (1200g) Cream cheese, at room temperature

2 Cups (420g) Castor sugar
1/4 Cup (32g) All-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp Salt
5 Large eggs (~53g)
2 Egg yolks
2 Tsps Pure vanilla extract
1/4 Cup (60ml) Heavy cream (43% fat, Crème de la Gruyère)


Ingredients for the chocolate coating:
1 Pound (450g) Chocolate, finely chopped (see remarks)
2 tablespoons vegetable sho
rtening
Other needed items:
Boiling water as needed

Thirty to forty 20cm (8-inch) lollipop sticks
Assorted decorations (optional)

Method:
1. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 170° C (325° F).
2. Set some water to boil.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth (If using a mixer, mix on low speed).
4. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition.
5. Beat in the vanilla and cream.
6. Grease a 25cm (10-inch) cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan.

7. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan.
8. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.
9. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to
room temperature.
10. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or overnight (better option).
11. When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 60g (2-ounce) balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
12. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball.


13. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 to 2 hours.
14. (When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate.) In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined.
15. Stir until completely smooth. (Save the rest of the chocolate and shorte
ning for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.)

16. Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely.
17. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate.
18. Roll the pops quickly in the decoration(s) of your choice.
19. Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set.
20. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening as needed.
21. Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

Remarks:
You can use all one kind chocolate or half and half of dark, milk, or wh
ite chocolate.
I used dark chocolate (60% cocoa).
Alternately, you can use 1 pound (450g) of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.
White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible.
Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried.

You can also drizzle the frozen balls with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc...).
Use decorations such
as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees, etc…

Serving suggestions:
Accompany those pops by a glass of cold milk, lemonade or homemade iced tea.
You can also serve those pops for dessert, along with other items.

Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!!!

Je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française:

Chez Marion de "Il En Faut Peu Pour..." (France)
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)

105 comments:

  1. c'est cochon cette recette!!

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  2. Oh my, what a lot of work!!! They look positively yummy though. Still, I don't think I'll try making them any time soon ... but I might consider the cheese cake recipe for itself. We are not big cheese cake eaters ourselves ... not that I don't like it going down, it just doesn't seem to agree with me all that well.

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  3. I look forward to your DB posts all month... you always do such amazing things with the chosen recipe. This month's no exception; I love your cheesecake pops!

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  4. Tres beau travail Rosa! Toutes les sucettes sont superbes!

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  5. Coucou ! quelle recette ! c'est superbe et tu as dû t'amuser à la faire.... Amitiés et caresses aux chats !

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  6. Love how you decorated them! Great!

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  7. They look very cute! I found the same thing about wetting your hands. I also agree the cheesecake itself was wonderful.

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  8. These look great!!! Love the variety...

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  9. Beaucoup de travail pour ces sucettes. Cependant, un ingrédient me surprend, la crème de Gruyére, le goût du fromage ne se fait pas trop sentir ?

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  10. Rosa, yours look actually yummy yum yum!

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  11. Lovely! I agree with cicero sings; I would try to do a single cake instead of all those tiny lollipops... but then, to dip and swirl a big frozen cake in the melted chocolate... mmm, I guess that would not be so practical; better to spread the chocolate as one normally would ice a cake... Anyway, I'm happy enough just watching your lovely creation.
    Best wishes.

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  12. tes photos sont atroces!! je ne peux résister!!! quelle merveille!

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  13. Very cute pops! I agree that this is one of the best cheesecake recipes that I have ever tasted.

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  14. i agree- that cheesecake recipe is a keeper. i love the texture, and for once, my cheesecake didn't crack. your pops look great.

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  15. Very cute and what an excellent idea. Yum!!!

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  16. oui j'ai pas tout compris ,mais tu as la gentillesse de nous renvoyer ,nous les nulles (enfin moi !)en langues vers des liens bien sympa ;alors c'est parfait et puis tes photos sont déjà supernbes !

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  17. Je n'ai pas essayé mais il paraît que c'est super bon ! En tout cas, c'est très esthétique je trouve :)

    Bises,

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  18. Your pops look wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed this month's challenge!

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  19. They look lovely! I love the fact you used straws! Until next time!

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  20. vow ... these are deadly ! can u stop at just one ? irresistible these ones i tell u !

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  21. Wow! Your pops look great, and I agree - GREAT cheesecake recipe!

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  22. I have been eating mine frozen as well. Like a ice cream pop. Rosa you did a beautiful job.

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  23. They look wonderful- well done!

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  24. lovely post and the cheesecake pops are fabulous :)

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  25. Bien fait! Your description makes these little things sound really yummy.

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  26. Beautiful job- I love the multi-tonal chocolate decorations on the last shot!

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  27. Great pops, I love the frostiness captured by the photography. Delicous looking.

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  28. Your cheesecake pops turned out so beautiful. I love the dark chocolate ones with the chocolate dots. They look simply scrumptious.

    Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

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  29. I love your cheesecake pops, they look delicious I really love the ones with the round sugar sprinkles, they look so amazing!

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  30. My wife said she wants to make these for her staff at work. So. i'll let you know how they turn out for her. I think i'm going to help her though. She's not very handy in the kitchen lol. They look great!

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  31. Lovely! the drizzled pops looks very different!

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  32. These are absolutely beautiful! I love the photos too.

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  33. I love how you decorated your pops! beautiful. the frosty ones make me want to take a bite!!

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  34. Quel travail ! Bravo Rosa.
    Bises et bonne semaine
    paola

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  35. OH Rosa, I love that last one . . . well I think I love them all.
    The cake does take longer to bake than the recipe says.
    I'm with you this is excellent cheese cake and the serving size is perfect!!

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  36. C'est genial !

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  37. They are precious! Anything that pops in the mouth and easy to eat is right up my alley! They look delish! I love all the decorations on them!

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  38. Your pops are beautiful! I love the little round decorations on them. Great job - they're perfect.

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  39. Beautiful pops!
    I'll have to remember your tip about wetting your hands prior to rolling... I think that would have saved me quite a bit of grief! But... there are definitely worse things in life than having cheesecake-covered hands! :)

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  40. love all your different decorations, your pops came out looking terrific!

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  41. gorgeous cheesecake pops especially the close-up photos!

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  42. Love your photos...dazzling pops! SO glad you liked the recipe. I'll remember the wet hands method if I make these again. Great job!

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  43. You did a brilliant job! The last pic - crunchy? I found some crunchy toppings and it was a great contrast.

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  44. Wow great pictures and the pops look so yummy as well as the chocolate coating, they are beautiful

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  45. Oh what beautiful pops! My favorite is the one with the chocolate swirled around.

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  46. They look wonderful, well done!

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  47. Nice job, your pops look lovely :)

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  48. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who had a hard time rolling up those balls. Your pops are lovely.

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  49. so lovely can so cute! I want one!

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  50. die Bilder, lecker, super, alles der Superlative!

    Rosa, ich sitze schon im TGV gen Genf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  51. Vraiment surprenant! Mais ces photos sont à tomber, on croquerez avec plaisir...

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  52. Très jolie déco, comme d'hab !
    Bises,
    Anne

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  53. je ne suis pas fan de glace , mais là , exceptionnellement je crois que je me régalerai avec ces jolies gourmandises givrées , rien que les photos me font déjà saliver

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  54. Rosa,these beauties are 'calorie bombs' alright :-DD...but your's look sooo pretty :-)

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  55. I love the variation, they all look pretty and delicious!

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  56. I *love* the toppings you used, the pops look delicious!

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  57. wow! I think you could go into business making those beauties. Your pictures are perfect!

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  58. Very pretty, Rosa!

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  59. well done Rosa¡¡¡¡ Your toppins are similar to
    my toppins.
    jajaja, good choice¡¡¡

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  60. Absolutely stunning pops! And I'll remember that tips about rolling with wet hands!

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  61. First I want to tell you that I love the colors on your site! Beautiful! Your cheesecake pops and your pics are amazing!

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  62. I adore your sexy close-ups! You're doing a great job of making me want to make these babies again ;)

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  63. You always have the best photos! I want to curl up with a basket of your pops!! Yum!

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  64. Ohhh your cheesecake pops are so cute! I especially want to eat the one in the last picture!

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  65. They look so delicious. A must try.

    Thank you for visiting my blog btw.

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  66. Thank you for stopping by my blog.

    These look so good. I could eat one right now, I know they'll be a must try here.

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  67. This is such a nice looking dessert. Wow!

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  68. wouaaaaw!! elles sont super belles! biises micky

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  69. These are brilliant Rosa!! Great job :)

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  70. Quel travail mais quel résultat, c'est beau mais je suppose aussi très bon, bravo!

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  71. Très jolie recette, merci pour ton petit mot c'est gentil.
    Bisous.

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  72. Your photography of the pops is really lovely!

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  73. Your pops look adorable! Nice decorations! Great job!

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  74. They look perfect Rosa..Love the candies!

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  75. What pretty pops, you did a lovely job of these :)

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  76. Tes photos sont si jolies! J'adore les sucettes avec les billes brunes et beiges. Ce sont des perles de chocolat? Magnifique!

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  77. Your pops turned out beautifully! You also did a really nice job in your write-up of addressing some of the questions that crop up while you're making them. Good job!

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  78. Nice looking pops! The chocolate looks good and chilled. I bet the chocolate was nice and crunchy.

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  79. C'est quand même un exercice de haute voltige ... mais qu'est-ce que ce doit être bon !
    Bises et bonne journée
    Hélène

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  80. YUM YUM YUM Rosa...your pops are TOPS!!! Perfect & very pretty. Absolutely to die for!

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  81. Sublimes photos, je me rends sur les blogs cités en courant lol!!! bises :)

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  82. Alors là tu exagères, tu me donnes trop envie, tes photos sont extras !!!

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  83. i want some of your cheesecake pops! they look realllllly delicious. and i love your 'about me- can't stop thinking about eating' because i'm the same way! and thinking about food. and thinking about cooking. and thinking about restaurants...you get the idea.

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  84. Quelle créativité dans cette recette. c'est superbe !!!
    Bisous, Doria

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  85. Quel courage pour faire tout ça Rosa!!!!!!
    Mais le résultat est magnifique!

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  86. tres sympa les bonbons!

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  87. pitié, c'est une vraie tuerie!!!!

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  88. Mon dieu que c'est joli, un pur bonheur.
    Bises.

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  89. J'en prendrais bien un et ma fille aussi. Bises.

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  90. Oh Rosa, those look obscenely good! Nice job :-)

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  91. Génial, le thème autant que le résultat qui n'est pas sans rappeler ma recette de demain,tu verras... Mais chez toi c'est plus ludique et si joli...

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  92. Great job with these! What a good idea about wetting the hands...mine were all covered in cheesecake, but at least I could lick it off when they were all rolled. :)

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  93. Rien que le nom Cheesecake pop, je le trouve sublime !!! Mais alors les photos, je te dis pas !! Elles me font succomber !!

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  94. Your pictures look wonderful as do the pops!

    I also found that it took longer to bake the cheesecake but it was also one of the best ones I've made. Next time it stays a cheesecake, no pops.

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  95. Une belle interprétation, c'est super gourmand ces petites sucettes!
    Bises

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  96. Terrific job, and nice photography!

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  97. hihihi :) je commence mon inventaire par toi :)
    Pour le prochain challenge, j'ai déjà commencé à traduire la recette, comme ça pas d'oubli en cours de route et je n'ai plus qu'à copier/coller dans mon billet :)
    Elles sont ravissantes tes sucettes :) très réussies !

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  98. I love those chocolate dots, very cute!

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  99. Ah oui effectivement j'ai vu ces sucettes chez Marion. Bravo encore.

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