Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Balls are a perfect example of how something that tastes really good can also be easy to make. The best way to describe their flavor is to say they are like a homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. They have that same lovely coating of chocolate with a smooth and creamy peanut butter filling that is almost fudge-like in texture.  
 
The State of Ohio has their own special name for this confection; "Buckeyes". Buckeyes look slightly different than Peanut Butter Balls in that the top of each bonbon is bare of chocolate so the peanut butter filling can be seen. This is done to make them look like the nut of the Buckeye tree, which just happens to be the State Tree of Ohio. So popular are "Buckeyes" in Ohio that I recently read in the the Cleveland Dealer that a Ohio State versus Michigan game wouldn't be complete without this candy. A bit of trivia; the name "buckeye" comes from Native American folklore and is said to come from the fact that the Buckeye nut resembles the eye of a buck deer.

Making Peanut Butter Balls couldn't be simpler. The filling ingredients (peanut butter, confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, butter, and vanilla extract) are just mixed together, rolled into small balls, chilled, and then dipped in melted chocolate. A few notes on making this confection. I have found the best way to make the filling is to first soften the butter and peanut butter in the microwave as this step makes it so much easier to beat in the sugar. Also, since the Peanut Butter Balls need to be stored in the refrigerator, adding a little shortening to the melted chocolate keeps the chocolate nice and shiny. I know that some recipes call for the addition of paraffin wax, instead of shortening to keep the chocolate shiny, but since paraffin wax is indigestible to humans and simply passes through the body, I prefer shortening.

Now, when buying peanut butter always check the list of ingredients to see if trans fats are listed (labeled as "partially hydrogenated oil" or "hydrogenated oil"). Trans fat or trans fatty acids are really nasty fats as they are thought to cause heart disease (raise bad LDL cholesterol, increase triglyceride levels, and lower good HDL cholesterol). Keep in mind that nutrition labels do not always list small amounts of trans fat so that is why you must look at the list of ingredients. Luckily, there are now brands of peanut butter on the market that clearly label that they do not contain hydrogenated oil.