For those of you who roll your eyes when I talk about the importance of organic food and aversion of processed food – eat your heart out (though I have to admit, I will not be eating these – they are presents). I first had little Balls of Joy over the weekend at a shower (see previous baked tomatoes post). Not being a sweets person, I really intended to just try a bite and see what it was (I mean even if you aren’t a sweets person, when you see something dipped in white chocolate your brain says EAT). I had two. They were so good. Soooooooo good. So good that I decided they would make lovely mother’s day treats for our wonderful Mommas! So it was decided, I was going to make sweets. I honestly do not remember the last time I made dessert or sweets of any kind. I know what it was (a chocolate and amaretto pear torte with orange infused whipped cream), but that had to be at least three years ago – and I did not eat it (though I was told it was very good). I was shocked to find that there are more than ample recipe ideas for these little guys online. So I read one, got the basic method down and planned to make little Balls of Joy. Enter Cinco de Mayo and skinny-girl Margaritas and I start this process at about 7:30, thinking it won’t really be that messy or take that long. It wasn’t any more messy and did not take any longer than I usually take to do things – take that for whatever it is worth. D also helped out, something I rarely allow him to do (not because I don’t want him to just because I micromanage and tend to take over). We learned an important lesson last night – that is do not put too many balls in the warm chocolate – they will melt and look funny. This is for aesthetic purposes only – they still taste great, I am told, they just look a little sad. Now that I have the basics of this down, I cannot wait to make more and add my own little twists to them. I am willing to bet that these would be awesome with mint oreos, with little bit of cherry mixed into the Mud, or with some crushed nut sprinkled over the top. Oh the world of experimentation=)

Balls of Joy

One package Oreos
One 8 ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
3-4 Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bars
3-4 Cadburry Milk Chocolate Bars

Special Equipment

Toothpicks
Double Broiler
Wax Paper

Put the Oreos into a food processor and process until finely ground. In batches (if you have a smaller food processor which I do) add  Oreo and cream cheese, blending until a big, giant, black, creamy substance. Repeat as necessary until smooth and all cheese and cookie has been incorporated. Pick up small handfuls of the black mound (which will be called Mud from now on) and roll into small balls with your hands. Place on a cookie sheet lined with Wax Paper or aluminum foil. Once all Mud is rolled into little balls of Joy, put cookie sheet into the fridge or freezer and chill for an hour or so. About ten minutes before you need to pull the Mud balls out, prepare a double boiler (if you do not have one, or in my case cannot reach yours feel free to place a oven proof bowl over a pan with water) and over a low heat begin to melt the chocolate – adding small handfuls one at a time until melted. If you have two double boilers, or the ability to create two double boilers, then feel free to heat milk chocolate in one and white chocolate in the other and decreased your time frame to finish. Once chocolate is melted, place one ball into the chocolate and roll gently with a spatula to coat well with chocolate. Remove quickly  with a toothpick so as to prevent melting and ball disfiguration (oh the horror). Return to wax paper and allow chocolate to cool. After about fifteen minutes drizzle chocolate of the opposite color over the balls and return to the fridge.