Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour (or Oat Flour), sifted
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sweetener (Stevia/Erythritol blend)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 3 Large Egg Whites, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Skim Milk (or unsweetened Almond Milk)
- 1 teaspoon High-Quality Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Non-Fat Plain Greek Yoghurt (100 grams)
- 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (30 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Powdered Sweetener (optional)
- 5 oz High-Quality Dark Chocolate (70%+), chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Refined Coconut Oil
- Minimal colourful sprinkles or freeze-dried raspberries (As needed)
Instructions:
- Stage 1: Baking and Preparing the Skinny Sponge. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and line the small baking pan (8x8 inch).
- Combine Dry Ingredients (A): Whisk together the flour, sweetener, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients (A): In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, milk, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Mix Batter: Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until barely combined. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool & Crumble: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Once cool, use your hands to crumble the cake finely into a large bowl (aim for fine breadcrumb consistency).
- Stage 2: Binding and Initial Chilling. Prepare the Binder (B): In a small bowl, mix the Greek yoghurt, protein powder, and optional powdered sweetener until smooth.
- Combine Dough: Add the binder mixture to the cake crumbs and mix thoroughly until a uniform, sticky dough forms that holds its shape when squeezed.
- Initial Chill: Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the mixture.
- Stage 3: Rolling and Double Chilling. Roll Balls: Scoop out the chilled dough (approximately 25 grams per pop) and roll into smooth, compact spheres. Place them on a lined baking tray.
- Set the Sticks: Melt a small amount of the chocolate coating. Dip the tip of a cake pop stick about 1/2 inch into the melted chocolate, then gently insert the stick halfway into the rolled ball.
- Final Chill: Return the tray of cake pops to the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes. The pops must be rock-hard and the chocolate 'glue' fully set before dipping.
- Stage 4: Coating and Finishing. Melt Coating (C): Place the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a small, deep bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (or microwave). Stir until smooth and fully melted. The temperature should be lukewarm (around 90–95°F / 32–35°C).
- Dip the Pops: Working quickly, dip one chilled cake pop into the melted chocolate, twirling gently to ensure even coverage. Tap the stick lightly to allow excess chocolate to drip off.
- Decorate & Dry: Immediately apply any sprinkles or decorations. Insert the stick into a styrofoam stand and allow the chocolate shell to set fully at cool room temperature or briefly in the refrigerator.