When many people hear the word 'buckeye', they think of deer, trees, or people who live in Ohio. However, the buckeye is also a type of sweet, made of chocolate and peanut butter and shaped to resemble the nut of the buckeye tree. The nut, itself known as a 'buckeye', is small - about one inch in diameter - spherical, and a shiny, dark brown in colour with a tan area at the top. It looks a bit like a buck's eye; hence the name. The sweets are fairly easy to come by in the United States, but fortunately for those living outside the US, they're also easy to make. Read on for instructions on making this mouth-watering treat.

The Basic Buckeye Recipe

This recipe makes about two dozen sweets. You can double the recipe.

Equipment

• Electric mixer
• Baking sheets lined with waxed (greaseproof) paper
• Toothpicks for dipping sweets

Ingredients

• 450g (16oz) peanut butter
• 450g (1lb) icing (confectioners') sugar
• 115g (¼lb) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla
• 450g (16oz) dark (semi-sweet) chocolate

Method

In an electric mixer, beat together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth and chill the mixture until it is firm enough to handle easily. When it's ready, melt the chocolate over very low heat. It is recommended that you melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water, as it scorches easily. In a pinch, you can use a microwave oven (radar range), but you should watch the chocolate carefully and stop as soon as it is melted.

When the chocolate is melted, form the peanut butter mixture into small balls, using about one tablespoonful for each. You can vary the amount a bit, depending on your preferences. Spear each ball with a toothpick and dip it into the melted chocolate, leaving a small round part at the top uncoated to resemble buckeye nuts. Place the coated peanut butter balls on a baking sheet that has been covered with waxed paper. Place the sweets in a cool, dry place to allow the chocolate to harden.

Variations

• Try using different nut butters in place of the peanut butter. Almond butter and cashew butter are particularly good.
• Also try using chunky peanut butter. It's a bit harder to work with, but the bits of peanut make for an interesting texture. You can also add up to three cups of crisped rice breakfast cereal to the peanut butter mixture. This makes for a lighter and less-sweet filling and a lower-fat sweet. Another option: adding small bits of dark chocolate to the filling.
• You can roll the dipped sweets in finely chopped peanuts or other nuts for a fancier result. Or try dusting the finished candies with a bit of icing sugar to resemble snow. This Researcher has also seen buckeyes topped with a single shelled peanut, but this isn't traditional.
• Try using different kinds of chocolate. The traditional buckeye uses dark chocolate to contrast with the intensely sweet filling, but others may prefer using milk chocolate or even white chocolate.

Hints and Tips

• Some recipes call for adding a bit of melted paraffin wax to the chocolate to make it set harder. This Researcher mentions it for the sake of completeness but thinks it sounds pretty unappetising. Another option is tempering the chocolate before dipping, an exacting and fiddly procedure that is used by professional chocolatiers and that is best left to experienced cooks. A third option is adding an ounce (30g) of melted butter to the chocolate. This will make the chocolate shiny but a bit softer.
• Try freezing the peanut butter balls before dipping them in chocolate. This makes them easier to handle and also allows you to make buckeyes in stages, a boon to those who are pressed for time.
• You can try substituting up to 4oz of the sugar with an equal amount of powdered milk. This will make the buckeyes a little less sweet and also boost their nutritional value.
• This Researcher has had better results using regular peanut butter with hydrogenated oils in it, rather than the 'natural' variety that is nothing but ground peanuts. Natural peanut butter tends to separate if kept at room temperature, making it harder to work with and ruining the sweets.
• The sweets should be stored in a cool, dry place. You may even wish to keep leftovers, assuming there are any, in the refrigerator if your house is kept fairly warm or you have inquisitive pets (chocolate is not good for them).
• Feel free to experiment! Buckeyes are a simple, down-to-earth treat and the recipe is fairly forgiving. Better yet, even a botched attempt tastes good and, if all else fails, makes an excellent filling for a peanut butter and chocolate sandwich!