Rich chocolate brownie bombs

1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a deep 18cm square cake pan; line base and sides with baking paper.

2.Stir butter and chopped chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth; transfer to a medium bowl, cool 10 minutes.

3.Stir sugar, egg and flour into chocolate mixture. Spread into pan; bake about 20 minutes. Cool in pan.

4.Cut cake into large pieces; using a food processor, process cake with rum until mixture just comes together. Shape rounded teaspoons of the mixture into balls. Place on a baking paper-lined tray. Freeze 1 hour or refrigerate 3 hours or overnight, until firm.

5.Stir chocolate melts in a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth (don’t let water touch base of bowl). Pour into a heatproof jug.

6.Dip the end of one stick into the chocolate, then push it about halfway into a ball of cake. Return to tray. Repeat with remaining sticks and balls of cake. Place tray in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set.

7.Dip one cake pop into the chocolate, rocking back and forth to coat; don’t swirl the pop, or it’ll break. Allow excess chocolate to drip back into the jug. Stand on a baking paper-lined tray; sprinkle with pearls before chocolate sets. Repeat with remaining cake pops and pearls. Stand at room temperature until set. Serve in paper cases.