I've been making peanut butter balls for years. Sometimes they are bigger and sometimes they are smaller. Today I used my new Oneida Trigger Cookie Scoop. Its the small one, only one inch. It makes very uniform candies which I like immensely.
The mixture is only 3 ingredients, so very easy. I'll add the recipe at the end.
Here's a close-up of the scoop. I didn't have to flour or grease the scoop to do this. Just pull it thru the mixture and pick up a portion.
I lined a small cookie sheet with waxed paper. Then rolled the balls between the palms of my hands. If they started to get sticky, I just ran my hands under the faucet to wash off the residue and continued.
I put a bowl over hot water to melt the chocolate but before I add the chocolate, I put about a 1- to 2-inch square of Gulf Wax in the bowl to melt first. This gives the candy a nice glossy finish.
I put 3 or 4 balls at a time in the bowl and use two forks to turn them in the chocolate, then lift them to put back on the waxed paper.
They have to go back into the refrigerator to harden. You can keep them fresh in the fridge for a couple weeks and if you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them.
Today I got 65 one-inch buckeyes from the recipe, all uniform.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 Cup, (1 1/2 sticks) Butter or margarine, softened
One 18-oz jar Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Lb Confectioner's (Powdered) Sugar
1 piece of Gulf Wax, if you want but its not necessary
12 oz bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bits
Cook's Note: The original recipe calls for 12 oz. peanut butter, but I like my candy to taste richly, so I use the 18-oz jar. Its also easier than trying to get every last bit of p.b. out of the smaller jar to get the full 12 oz.
In a large bowl, I cream the softened butter and the peanut better together first, then I add the Confectioner's Sugar and mix it together well with a wooden spoon.
When all the mixture is incorporated I use a small scoop to form the balls. You can use your hands (which I did for years and it works well), but for uniformity, I found the Oneida cookie scoop ideal.
Form the mixture into firm balls between your palms.
Place on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.
Place them in the refrigerator to chill at least a half hour.
Use a double boiler or place a bowl over a pan of hot water, the pan not touching the water. Heat the water on the stove.
First place the Gulf Wax in the bowl if you are using it. Let it melt.
Add the Chocolate Bits to the bowl and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Leave the pan and the bowl on the heat, but turn it down very low. You just want to keep the chocolate from hardening up again.
Dip your balls in the chocolate, using 2 forks to control the balls. If they aren't covered completely, it doesn't matter. That's where the term 'buckeyes' originated. The uncovered bits of the ball look like the light bouncing off the eye of a wild buck.
Place balls back on the waxed paper, not touching, and put the dipped candies back in the refrigerator to chill and harden.
You can eat them whenever they are firm enough to hold. Place them ina plastic bags to keep in the fridge to keep fresh for weeks. Or you can put them in freezer bags and freeze for much later.
These are a hit in my family, especially at Christmas Time. But they are so tasty and enjoyable year round. When I make them, I have to remember to give them out to family close by or they'd never forgive me.
Happy Cooking!
