Philly Cheesecake Balls Challenge Accepted

While browsing Facebook the other day , I came across Coles page and there's this video about making Philly Christmas Cheesecake Baubles . I love cheesecake and Coles recipe requires no baking fantastic for this already hot weather we don't need to run the oven. I thought of cheesecake flavours, We made lots gingerbread the other day, it would be fantastic to break it into pieces add into the cheese mix for texture, dried fruit and nuts is very Christmasy treat , red cherries looks like Rudolph's nose, and chocolates is a must have. I left a comment to Coles and after a few hours i had about 20 something "likes" Wow its 20 plus lovely people who believed in this cheesecake balls dream. Off to Coles I went to pick up the ingredients and a roast chook for dinner as I will be busy making the cheese ball. Philly block was on special that day 2 for $6 and on the nut section there's special as well for $3.50 i picked a bag of Very Berry a festive a mix of blueberries, cranberries , coconut flakes , almonds and pepitas. Then i picked a bag of glace cherries and a bag of desiccated coconut for macaroons that i will be making for Christmas . Another idea came in cherry and coconut also goes well together as cherry macaroon cheesecake ball!

I just made a sampler recipe but now I know it works , this recipe is forgiving like Christmas you can add more stuff in the mix if you wish or less. Here's my tweak to Philly Cheesecake Christmas Bauble.

Little Mommy's Philly Cheesecake Christmas Bauble.

Ingredients :

for the cheese ball

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese

1/4 cup of butter

3/4 cup of powdered sugar sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

for the coating

1 cup of dark chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or shortening

( * you may do variations, there's no right or wrong , white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips i all ok)

to make the filling exciting

Gingerbread ( crushed by a rolling pin)

dessicated coconut

glazed cherries chopped

Very Berry chop the almonds

toppings :

flaked almonds

crushed pistachios

gingerbread crushed

desiccated coconut

gold dust

sprinkles

( * anything you like really , just not partridge in a pear tree! )

To make the cheeseball :

1. In a bowl with the electric mixer beat the philly, butter and vanilla essence until well blended , then add in the powdered sugar till all the sugar is thoroughly mixed.

2. This is the part that may vary according to what you would like to make i have divided the cheesecake mix into three portions .

For the gingerbread baubles 1 added about 1/3 cup of crushed gingerbread ( use about 1 whole cup for the whole recipe as gingerbread baubles) mix it well

For the cherry macaroon cheesecake bauble I added 16 pieces chopped glace cherries and 1/3 cup of cup of coconut . ( the whole 150 grams bag of glazed cherries and 1 cup of coconut will be perfect for the whole recipe)

For the Very Berry cheesecake bauble i added about 1/2 cup of the very berry mix ( you may add the whole bag if you want to make the whole recipe )

3. Chill the mixture for 1 hour and when firm, use to teaspoons to make the balls. And place it on a tray lined with non stick baking paper ( please do not copy the same mistake i made when i dropped it in the unlined tray ! oops)

4 . Chill the cheesecake baubles for another hour or more to firm up. Bring it out of the fridge when coating is ready

5. Gather up your toppings, sprinkles , decorating sugar, crushed gingerbread, crushed nuts, dessicated coconut and gold dust . ( any edible cake decorating sprinkles garnish will work)

6. Make the coating by melting the chocolate in a double boiler and add in the vegetable oil or shortening to thin out the chocolate a bit , cool it up a bit for at least 5 - 8 minutes

7. Coat the baubles in melted chocolate and place in nonstick paper lined tray, And sprinkle with topping of your choice , This is fun like making your personalized Christmas Baubles . ( and if you don't like the chocolate you can just roll the baubles in crushed nut , gingerbread or coconut) . I sprinkled gingerbread and candy on gingerbread baubles, coconut ,pistachios and flaked almonds on the cherry macaroon baubles and for the very berry baubles i choose flaked almonds, coconut and gold dust . And some I just rolled in the nuts (to clean up the bowls!, i don't like wasting the ingredients )

8. Keep it in the fridge until serving time .

Here's my finished Philly Cheesecake Christmas Bauble.

Thank you Coles for the idea and most of all Thank you Facebook people for believing in me ! Have a Happy and Safe Holidays !!!!

( P.S. I think there's a mouse see if you can catch it ?)

*** ( Not sponsored by Coles all ingredients are purchased by own funds ) ***