Peanut Butter Balls

Every time I think of peanut butter balls I remember being probably about four years old, standing over a small folding table in the kitchen that we only pulled out during the holidays so that I could help bake, since I couldn't reach the counters. And just being covered in powdered sugar. We didn't usually dip our peanut butter balls in chocolate, but instead rolled them in different toppings like powdered sugar and sprinkles.
I loved these little candys...cookies? Balls? I'm not really sure what their proper genre would be, but whatever they are, I still love them.
Besides the sickening amounts of nostalgia that make me love these umm...balls... There's also the peanut butter.
And the chocolate.
We can't forget the chocolate.
These are so easy to put together and so much easier to eat.
This recipe makes quite a few, so unless you have more self control than I do, or plan to quickly remove them from your household, I might suggest halving it.
Or don't.
Either way....I say make them.

Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 grams) creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 - 2 1/2 cups (230 - 290 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
Chocolate Coating
9 ounces (255 grams) semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (25 grams) shortening

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).

Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. To serve: place in small fluted candy cups.

Note: If you want to make Buckeyes: place a toothpick into each peanut butter ball and dip, one ball at a time, into the melted chocolate, leaving the top quarter of each ball undipped.

Makes about 40 pieces, depending on size.

Source:Joy of Baking
Photos by Keegan Orange

Homemade Marshmallows

I am so excited about this recipe!!
I haven't made very much candy before so every time I successfully try a new recipe it makes me so happy!
Up until about a year or two ago, I didn't even realize you could make marshmallows. It had never even occurred to me that marshmallows could come in a form other than processed and round. Now, I'm not trying to say I don't love those delicious little puffs of processed sugar, because I really do. I'm just saying...this is like a whole new universe to me.
A universe full of fresh marshmallows! Just imagine it.
It definitely took a large amount of powdered sugar for me to roll these in so that they were soft enough to handle. Maybe if I let them sit a little longer they would have been less sticky...or, maybe marshmallows are just really sticky. I couldn't really tell you. But if you have any tricks to handling these things besides rolling them in a half a bag of powdered sugar, please let me know.

Homemade Marshmallows:
Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) cold water, divided
3 - 1/4 ounce envelopes (21 grams) unflavored gelatin
2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
4-5 cups (460 - 575 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
Directions:
Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch (33x23x5-cm) baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Then sift about 3 tablespoons of confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar onto the bottom of the pan (this will help release the set marshmallow from the paper).
Place 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer that is fitted with a whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy two quart saucepan, place the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let boil for about three minutes to allow any sugar crystals to dissolve from the sides of the saucepan. Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick creme of marshmallow). Add vanilla extract and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a damp offset spatula or rubber spatula. The mixture is very sticky so just smooth it out as best as you can. Dust the top of the marshmallow with another 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until set, about 12 hours.

Remove the marshmallow from the pan by first running a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. You might have to use your fingers to help loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper (the marshmallow will be sticky) and dust the top of the marshmallow with confectioners' sugar. Cut the marshmallow into squares using a pizza roller or sharp knife. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in additional confectioners' sugar. Shake off excess sugar and store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks.

Makes about 24 - 2 1/2 inch marshmallows.

Recipe from Joy Of Baking