Bonus Recipe: Buckeyes

This recipe comes from the book Baked Explorations which I have posted on before. I am finding I really like this book by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

When I happened upon this recipe I had to make these for our next hiking adventure. The Buckeye tree is one of our (my sister and me) favorite trees that we always swoon over on our excursions. So as a surprise on our next trek, I thought I would bring along a treat that resembles the "fruit" of our beloved tree.

Success meter (1-3): 3

First buckeye: casualty

Second buckeye: Beautiful!

However... I did not want a puddle of

chocolate forming so I decided

to put them on a rack.

I found that the dipping fork worked best.

Putting them on a rack...

Bad idea.

This is why the instructions say to

place them back on the parchment.

Broken bottoms.

Here we are eating our buckeyes!

Mmm...mmm...good!

These are rich, but not overly sweet.

Buckeyes

Yield: 36-42 buckeyes

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cups peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 14 crackers)

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

10 Tbl (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

12 oz. good-quality dark chocolate (60-72%), coarsely chopped

Make the candy: In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat on medium speed for 10 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar and butter. Beat at low speed for 20 seconds to prevent the sugar from spilling over, gradually increase the speed until the mixture is completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again. The mixture will feel slightly dry. Set the peanut butter filling aside while you melt the chocolate.

In the top of a double boiler set over hot water, melt the chocolate, stirring frequently until it is completely smooth. Pour the chocolate into a small, deep bowl. Let it cool to tepid (about 100 degrees F, body temperature) while you shape the peanut butter centers.

Assemble the buckeyes: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than 1 tablespoons worth of filling and use your hands to form it into a ball. (For uniform balls, use a medium-size melon baller or a very small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism.) Place the ball on the prepared sheet pan and repeat the process until all the filling has been shaped. The balls can sit fairly close to each other on the sheet pan; just make sure they are not touching.

One by one, using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate. Roll the ball around from side to side to cover almost the entire peanut butter center, leaving a small part uncovered. Manipulate the buckeye so that the dripping chocolate covers the holes made by the fork. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and return each chocolate-covered buckeye to the pan. Refrigerate the entire sheet pan for about 30 minutes to set the chocolate before serving.

Buckeyes will keep for up to 3 days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

Baked Explorations/Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito