Jean Dobreas Buckeyes Peanut Butter Cookies Food

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.

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.

GIANT PEANUT BUTTER DARK CHOCOLATE SEA SALT BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Melt the white chocolate chips in a medium glass heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from the heat but keep the bowl over the warm water. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the melted white chocolate and beat on medium until smooth, about a minute. Place the bowl in the freezer until the mixture is firm enough to form a ball, about 30 minutes.
• Using a small scoop or spoon, roll the peanut butter mixture into about the size of a golf ball. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture. Freeze until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and roll the scoops into smooth balls. Plunge lollipop sticks or short, thick skewers into the centers of the balls. Freeze for another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Melt the dark chocolate in a medium glass heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat. Stir until melted. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and stir. Taste the chocolate; if you want more coffee flavor, add more espresso powder 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Keep the bowl over the pot of hot water to keep it hot while dipping.
• Holding the balls by the skewers, dip the balls only three-quarters of the way into the melted dark chocolate, leaving a quarter inch of exposed peanut butter at the top (this way, it looks like a real buckeye). Let the excess chocolate drip off, then quickly sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt or pink salt right on top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 1 hour. Remove the skewers from the buckeyes. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

JEAN DOBREA'S BUCKEYES (PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Combine first three ingredients and form into balls
• Chill balls
• Keeping chocolate warm and balls chilled, using toothpicks dip bottom half of ball into heated chocolate