Best Ever Buckeyes Food

BEST EVER BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Mix peanut butter, margarine or butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in bowl (It helps to soften the margarine).
• Shape into 1" balls.
• Refrigerate balls.
• Meanwhile, melt chocolate with a bit of crisco (so the chocolate will harden. Without crisco, chocolate will remain soft.) in double boiler.
• Insert toothpick into refrigerated balls and dip into chocolate, leaving small area resembling a buckeye.
• Cool on wax paper and store in refrigerator or freezer.

BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until well combined. Scoop 2-teaspoonful mounds, and roll into balls; arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Microwave the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe medium bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Stick a toothpick or skewer into the top center of a peanut butter ball. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter visible on top. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then return the buckeye to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate.
• Chill the buckeyes until firm, about 30 minutes. Smooth out the hole left by the toothpick with an offset spatula. Serve at room temperature or well chilled. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

BUCKEYES

Steps:

• COMBINE peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.
• PLACE chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.
• INSERT toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.
• Variation:.
• SPICY BUCKEYES: ADD 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper with peanut butter mixture in step 1. Continue recipe as directed.

BEST BUCKEYES (PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CANDIES)

Steps:

• Cream peanut butter and butter.
• Add sugar and vanilla and mix well.
• Form into 1 inch balls and refrigerate.
• Melt chocolate chips with parafin wax in a double boiler.
• Dip balls into chocolate with a toothpick about 3/4 of the way covered.
• Place chocolate side down on waxed paper.
• Let set at room temperature or refrigerate.

BUCKEYE BALLS II

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar with hands to form a smooth stiff dough. Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Place on prepared pan, and refrigerate.
• Melt shortening and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.
• Remove balls from refrigerator. Insert a wooden toothpick into a ball, and dip into melted chocolate. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed until it stops floating off everywhere, then increase the speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the whole bowl well, then mix again. The mixture will be quite sturdy and a little dry - perfect for shaping. Set it aside while you prepare the coating.
• Make the coating: Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth or in a microwave in 30 then 10 second increments, stirring before you start it again until it is completely smooth. Let it cool to tepid (about 100 degrees, though I'd go a little cooler next time for a thicker coating; I had a few ounces of chocolate leftover) while you shape the peanut butter centers.
• Assemble the candies: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than one tablespoon's worth of filling (their suggestion; I used a scoop that made them a little smaller) and use your hands to form it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.
• Using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that almost the entire candy is coating, leaving a small circle uncoated. Play around with a few practice pieces; I found it easiest to stick the skewer in the side, angle the bowl I was using towards it and make sure it became submerged as I rolled the candy around. But don't fuss too much; even the "ugly" ones won't go to waste.
• Chill the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.
• Do ahead: Buckeyes will keep in the fridge for what the book says is 3 days, but I'd say at least a week, should you keep them in a lockbox and hide the key.