It’s time to get all sweet and spooky. A cryptic take on peanut butter balls (buckeyes) or peanut butter cups just takes an extra layer of white chocolate, a little food coloring and minimal artistic skills for a Halloween treat that’s a ” true spectator!” (There is an additional surprise in the middle.)
Kathy Whyte/WNBF News
Peanut Butter Eyeballs
1 tsp powdered sugar
1/2 C. peanut butter (can be creamy or crunchy)
3 Tbl. butter at room temperature
1/4 C. or less hazelnut/chocolate spread
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips
2 Tbl. vegetable fat
black food coloring for the pupil and the color of your choice for the iris
Mix, butter, sugar and peanut butter. You’ll want to use your hands to make sure the ingredients are fully incorporated. Spoon the hazelnut spread into a plastic sandwich bag and cut off a corner or use a piping bag. Use a small ice cream scoop to distribute evenly sized scoops or simply pinch amounts to get a scoop a bit smaller than a golf ball. Roll the mixture between the palms of your hands into a ball then, using the back of a chopstick, hollow out the middle. Squeeze some hazelnut spread into the hole and tamp it down with the pointed end of the chopstick. Pinch the hole closed. Put the balls on waxed paper and refrigerate for about half an hour. Pour the bag of white chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl with the vegetable shortening. Microwave for about a minute. Stir. If not all melted and smooth, microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again until smooth. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly before coating the balls. Roll them in the chocolate using two forks. Allow excess to drip off before returning balls to waxed paper. They firm up pretty quickly and can be soaked again to make sure no peanut butter shows through. Once dry, you can paint the food color details on the balls. Liquid food coloring does not stick on its own. I dipped a new brush in food coloring then powdered sugar and painted the eyes. You can also use red food coloring to paint the veins if desired.
