Buckeyes

You had to know this was coming when I mentioned that it just didn’t seem like Christmas without 2 things: fudge and buckeyes.    You saw the fudge, but then no buckeyes.  I actually did make them the day after I made the fudge…but funny story.  I rolled all the peanut butter dough into balls and then I had to refrigerate them before dipping. I didn’t have room in the fridge, so I thought I would just put them on a cookie sheet with a cover that snaps on tight.  Just to ensure they were safe, especially from my pug Walter, I put them on top of my grill.  When I went to roll them the next day, the cover was removed, neatly tucked into the handle of the grill.  About a quarter of the peanut butter balls were missing.  I don’t know what kind of animal it was, probably a raccoon or some squirrels, but needless to say, I was not happy.  I had to throw over 100 perfectly rolled, delicious peanut butter balls in the garbage.   This is the kind of stuff that only happens to me!  So, today I made them all over again.  Only this time, I made sure to make room in the fridge.

Buckeyes

Yield: 100-150 (depending on how big you roll them)

Filling

1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar (almost 6 cups)

1/2 pound room temperature butter (2 sticks)

1 pound creamy peanut butter (2 cups)  I love Peter Pan Honey Roasted Creamy

1 Tbsp vanilla

Coating

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 slab paraffin wax (found in the canning or baking section of most grocery stores)

Combine powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer.  Beat slow at first until the powdered sugar gets incorporated, then beat on medium until well combined.  Form the dough into balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter.  Put the balls in a bowl or on a cookie sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  To melt the chocolate, use a double boiler or a small, heavy bottomed saucepan.  Put the chips and the paraffin (cut into small pieces) into the pan, and heat on low, mixing continuously until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Remove the peanut butter balls from the fridge and using a long wooden skewer, dip the balls, leaving a small circle of peanut butter showing at the top.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  You may need to put the peanut butter balls back in the fridge if they get too soft to dip.  You may also have to reheat the chocolate if it cools so much it starts to thicken/solidify.  Use your fingers to smooth out the skewer hole on top of each candy.  Freeze to set, then store in cookie tins in the freezer or fridge if using soon.  I think they taste better at room temperature.

Source: Penseys Spices Holiday 2000

Helpful Hints:

• Use a small saucepan, so the chocolate is deeper for easy dipping.
• I have found wooden shish kebob skewers to be the best for dipping.
• The paraffin wax helps to make the chocolate coating more smooth and more stable.

About these ads

Posted by Just Baked on December 19, 2011

http://justbakedbyme.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/buckeyes/