Buckeyes

Something else I discovered later in life (no peanut butter as a child – it wasn’t part of the English diet!). Easy, no-bake sweet treats.

Start to finish: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 12 ounces dark or combination of dark and milk chocolate

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt.
2. Beat with the beater blade on low until well blended.
3. Add 3 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended.
4. Shape a scoop of peanut butter into a 1-inch or slightly larger ball. The mixture should come together smoothly. If it is too crumbly, add a touch more peanut butter. If it is too sticky, add a bit more powdered sugar.
5. Place the peanut butter balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 30 minutes.
6. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom pan of the doubler boiler and simmer the water on low. As the chocolate starts melting over the heat of the hot water, stir until the chocolate is smooth. Remove the double boiler from the stove.
7. Insert toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Allow excess chocolate to drip from the buckeye.
8. Dab the bottom of the buckeye on a piece of wax paper to remove excess chocolate, then place the buckeye on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
9. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.