Peanut Butter Umm... Things
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 12:11AM | Taneasha 
OK, so I wasn’t sure how to title this post. I’ve always called these Peanut Butter Balls, but to be honest, that doesn’t sound terribly appetizing, so I thought I’d rechristen them. Peanut Butter Treasures? Peanut Butter Bites? Peanut Butter Nuggets? Peanut Butter Delights? Oh, forget it. To quote William Shakespeare (sort of): "What's in a name? That which we call a Peanut Butter Ball, by any other name, would taste as sweet." Right?
When I told my husband I was going to make these for my blog this week, he said, "Woohoo!" Or he may have used something equivalent, but not quite as demure. He was excited, to say the least. They just might be his very favorite treat, and that’s saying something.
What you’ll need:
1 ½ cups Peanut Butter *
1 ¼ cups Powdered Sugar**
3 Tablespoons Butter (softened)
1 Tablespoon Brown Rice Syrup (or honey)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 cup Chocolate chips
*Use good peanut butter. Something natural with no palm oil.
** Please, please use organic powdered sugar. You won’t believe the flavor difference. In fact, you may never go back to the conventional stuff again.
In your mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, butter, syrup, salt, and vanilla, until it looks like this:
Sift in the powdered sugar.
This is why it is so important to sift it.
Press the lumps through with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Mix until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated and the mixture comes together like a dough. At this point, it should have the texture of soft fudge and look like this:
Weather and humidity can play a big roll here, so if it's too dry, add more peanut butter. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar.
Pinch off a small piece of the mixture. You want the finished treats to be no more than two bites, so I really do mean small.
Roll it around in your hands and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Alas, I have finally found a situation where it doesn’t benefit me to have a dog in lieu of children. He can’t help me roll, and there are a lot of these darn things. Well, if you don’t have any helpers, at least turn Oprah on in the background. Just be sure it’s not an episode about weight loss.
So, when you finally have them all rolled into balls, place the pan (or pans, mine didn't all fit on one) in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
When they’re nice and firm, pour your chocolate chips into a glass bowl. I used milk chocolate, but feel free to use whatever you like.
Microwave, stirring after 30 seconds, and every 15 seconds thereafter, until it sort of falls in ribbons when you lift it.
Now for the dipping:
Throw a ball into the chocolate and turn it over with a fork until it's completely coated.
Let the excess drip off for just a second, and then place it back on the parchment. Touch the fork tines lightly on the top and let the little chocolate peaks fall to form a cute little pattern.
While you’re dipping, you’re going to have to reheat your chocolate if it gets too thick. Also, you’ll want to stop 2 or 3 times and put the undipped balls back in the fridge if they start to get soft. When they’ve all been dipped, place the whole sheet back in the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate has set.
I like to store them in a container in the fridge so the chocolate has a nice snap when you bite into it.
So, what would you call these fabulous little treats?
Taneasha
Otto definitely approves. Here he is trying to steal one from the table.
And when that didn't work, he came around to beg.
Look at that face! LOL!
Reader Comments (21)
Call it "Better than Mother-f**king Recess Peanut butter cups bitch!"
er... Peanut butter balls?
They're a lot like buckeyes.
Why not call them peanut butter kisses?
These look amazing! Will have to mkae them. I like all the names you suggested up the top- treasures, bites, nuggest, delights, and Amber's suggestions.
In the first photo they looked like mini puddings to me.
Choc Peanut Puddings?
Natalie FTW.
I think Natalie and Seeley share a brain. LOL
I agree with Amber. They look like Buckeyes, but with those you dip them with a toothpick and leave the top open.
I'd call them Peanut Butter Drops, but that's just me :) I can't wait to make these.
I've seen Buckeyes, but I don't understand the point of leaving part of the peanut butter uncoated.
@Holly Adair - I think pudding means something completely different in your part of the world than what in means in mine. LOL
Seriously? what does it mean?
I was thinking coz they are round like mini Christmas puddings
P.S. talking about things being different in my part of world, what is powdered sugar? Is it icing sugar?
Holly: North American pudding is custard. And yes, icing sugar.
(sure are lucky we have a member of the Commonwealth here lol)
I think Peanut Butter Balls says it all. Or Drops. Or Peanut Butter Chocolate Dips. Chocolate Coated Yum-Yums. Better to Eat You My Dears.
All right, now I'm just being silly, but they look really good and my mouth is watering.
@ Seeley- you learn something new every day re:custard. And I'd completely forgotten Canada is a Commonwealth country! You use metric too. Which brings me to my next question- when using imperial cooking measurements such as cups, pints and teaspoons, do you use the British or US Imperial measurements?
This explains it if you are unsure: http://www.miketodd.net/encyc/cooking.htm
I was going to suggest the kisses too..so I've changed the name a little to PB kisses. They look delicious.
I second "Peanut Butter Kisses". That's the first thing I thought of when I saw them. I've never heard of Buckeyes.
Ok, I have to say, I just can't bring myself to use the word Kisses. To think that these fabulous creations might be associated with Hershey. *shudder*
Over on Romance Divas, we've been discussing it, and I think my favorite of the ones that came up was Peanut Butter Bombshells. How cute is that?
@Holly Adair - There are multiple imperial measurements?
They look great! I love the picture with your dog trying to get them. Great photos!
Care Bears calls them PB Balls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkOcwp6qH1A
@ Tanaesha- apparently so. So Americans using British recipes and visa versa will always hit disaster and things will be too runny or dry.
So I was wondering if I need to do a conversion when I make it. I guess so cause you'd use American, but I dunno what Seeley uses.
Yum! Those look delish!
It was funny, I saw your pb&chocolate post and this one from my friend's blog http://www.withsprinklesontop.net/?p=1210 within a 5-minute span yesterday. It must be a sign!
...although I have to be careful with having peanut butter and chocolate chips in the house.I have a habit of eating them off a spoon in the middle of the night.
peanut butter delights.
heavenly peanut butter ball
I like peanut butter treasures.
peanut butter is my absolute favorite
My grandmother used to make these every year for Christmas, but hers also called for rice crispies in the peanut butter part. ;)