My grandparents were all born and raised in Ohio. As were my parents. Even my brother was born in the buckeye state, and yet when I sent a box of these candies to Nonnie and Grandpa it was their friend Agata who really loved them. I am fairly certain that she has never been to Ohio or seen a buckeye tree. So, my theory is confirmed: anyone can enjoy these. Someday, Lily will enjoy them (almost as much as she enjoyed hanging out with her new pal, Meghan). And why not? It is chocolate and peanut butter t.o.g.e.t.h.e.r.
Of course my grandparents loved them, too. They had to. It's in their genetic makeup.
But wait! These aren't normal buckeyes. (This is where the everyone who grew up eating buckeyes will stop reading and refuse to talk to me for 3 weeks.) These aren't the crazy sweet, 6-cups-of-powdered-sugar candies that your mama made. They are still a sweet treat for sure, but they are made with graham cracker crumbs. And cream cheese. And only 3 cups of sugar. Say whaaa?! You've got to try them.
Buckeyes Printer-friendly version
1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups peanut butter 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 14 graham crackers) 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups powdered sugar 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed until it stops floating off everywhere, then increase the speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the whole bowl well, then mix again. The mixture will be quite sturdy and a little dry — perfect for shaping. Set it aside while you prepare the coating.
Make the coating: Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth or in a microwave in 30 then 10 second increments, stirring before you start it again until it is completely smooth. Let it cool to tepid while you shape the peanut butter centers. Assemble the candies: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than one tablespoon’s worth of filling (I used a mini ice cream/ cookie scoop) and use your hands to form it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.
Using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that almost the entire candy is coating, leaving a small circle uncoated. I used a fondue fork and it worked just fine. I just used my finger to smudge the hole marks away.
Chill the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.
Source: Smitten Kitchen
