You can use a store bought pound cake like the one I got from Sam's club or you can make your own with my Pound Cake recipe.
Crumble your cake and add buttercream , about 1/4 cup for 16oz of cake and blend it together, you are not trying to mash it, just mix it enough that it will hold its shape when you gently press it together.
Cut your strawberries into thin slices and let them dry on a paper towel for a bit.
Make your vanilla cream filling and you will be ready to start stacking your cake pucks!
Put 1 TBL of the cake mixture in your small Benty Cakes mold and use your puck press to press it in. Add your strawberry slice and then pipe a bit of the vanilla cream around it and add more cake to cover it. Gently tap it down with your puck press and then scrape it level with the mold with your scraper.
If you're not going to eat them right away you can use strawberry jam instead of fresh strawberry. Or you can put strawberries on top and just use the vanilla filling for a center.
Put your centers in the freezer or fridge until they are completely chilled, then pop them out! You don't want to dip them frozen solid but it's ok to put them in the freezer for a few minutes before you dip if they are a little soft.
Keep them cold and then take them out a few at a time to dip.
Dipping:
1. Melt your BENTY MELTS for 1 minute. Continue to microwave in increments of 20 seconds until chocolate silkily slides off your spoon (110 F-120 F). If you are using other brands of melts add a tsp of crisco or coconut oil to thin them out.
2. Place larger mold (with the Benty Cakes logo on the bottom) on the plastic tray and fill one cavity half full with melted chocolate.
3. Place chilled center on melted chocolate. Gently apply even pressure as you slowly press the center down until chocolate comes up from the sides and covers the top of the center. I use the center of my Puck Press to press it in, or you can use your fingers.
4. Scrape off any excess chocolate. If there is not enough chocolate to cover the center. Add chocolate and scrape away excess.
5. Tap the mold tray on the counter to eliminate air bubbles.
6. Repeat these steps until all cavities are filled. Start out doing one at a time, once you are comfortable begin doing 2-3 at a time. Take care not to do too many at the same time as chocolate will set.
7. Because the centers are cold your pucks will set up quickly. Usually it takes about 15 minutes on the counter depending on how warm your house is. You can stick them in the fridge if you're in a hurry.
8. You can tell your pucks are ready to pop out if the mold pulls away cleanly. if you see any chocolate stick as you gently pull, they are not set yet.
The most satisfying part is popping out your shiny, professional looking Pucks!!
Trips + Tricks
SPACES ON THE SIDE: If there are spaces on the sides there wasn't enough chocolate or not all the air bubbles were eliminated. To avoid this take care to tap out air bubbles each time a puck center is covered with melted chocolate. More chocolate may be needed to ensure the melted chocolate comes up over all the edges when centers are being pressed down. Scrape off excess chocolate.
CRACKED TOPS: If tops are cracked, centers were pressed too far down. That's ok! You will get the feel for it, or the "eye" for it, as you press your centers in you will start to see how much of a chocolate layer you want on the bottom.
DIFFICULTY PRESSING CENTERS IN: If there's difficulty pressing centers in, then chocolate is too thick. It should come up over the sides. Ensure if using candy melts other than BENTY MELTS that they are thinned with a little shortening or coconut oil.