United Cakedom: Buckeyes - Holiday Memories

When I was little my parents moved us to southern Indiana from Wisconsin and for me and my sisters it was just a big adventure and it was! The hard times were the holidays: for Thanksgiving and Christmas we didn’t have the extended family to celebrate with.

The first Christmas we went home to Wisconsin and it was such a kerfuffle that it was the last time we did that. We did what we had to do, reinvent Christmas as our own without the extended family. Once we’d been there for a few years my parents made friends, Pat and Jim as we called them, they used to invite us around at Christmas time.

It was super boring.

They didn’t have kids my younger sister and my ages. It was an time were a book and a walkman were our only entertainment! The one thing I looked forward to on those visits were the homemade Buckeyes that Pat would make!

Peanut butter fudge like balls partially dipped in chocolate to look like the nut from the Ohio Buckeye tree.

When I came across this recipe for Buckeye’s in Sally’s Candy Addiction I knew I had to make them! This recipes makes approximately 32 buckeyes, but because of my abnormal rolling abilities I think I had like 38 or something? Anyway here’s how you make them using grams, cups and ounces are given in the book if you prefer!

Buckeyes

114g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
194g creamy peanut butter (not natural style)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
360g icing sugar
450g semi-sweet chocolate

Line two or more baking tins with greaseproof paper. Here in the UK freezer space can be awkward, so find tins/pans/sheets that fit in your fridge or freezer comfortably.
Beat the butter for a minute or two until creamy, add the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Switch the mixer to low and add a quarter of the icing sugar at a time until combined. I do this to stop the icing sugar exploding everywhere. It should be soft and slightly crumbly. Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture into a 1 inch ball, repeat until all the mixture is used. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Place on the prepared tins/pans/sheets and place in the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Melt half of the chocolate in a double boiler or if confident enough in a small sauce pan, take it off the heat and add the rest of the chocolate bit by bit until it is all melted and silky smooth.
Dip the peanut butter balls in the chocolate using a fork or preferred method for dipping, be sure to leave part of the ball chocolate free, as shown in the picture.  Place back on/in the tins/pans/sheets leave to set, once set then enjoy!