It’s not clear to me how well-known these treats are outside of Ohio, but I am doing my part to spread the word. Given that Ohio State University has one of the premier football teams in the country, it’s rather ironic to think that their mascot is this humble little nut. I like to think of the OSU mascot as this small, edible representation of the horse chestnut; in contrast to the violence and rigor of football, this version is soft and easily smashed, lacking cunning or offensive plays. In our household they’ve become a standard holiday treat, assuming we can hold on to them until the day of celebration. Anyone who has had them once quickly realizes they’d like them again, so they are in demand.
The following recipe makes about 6 dozen:
Cream 1 c. softened butter with 3 c. of chunky (not natural) peanut butter. Add one box of powdered sugar, a teaspoon or two of vanilla, and salt to taste. The mixture should be soft but cohesive, and hold a ball shape easily if rolled. Add a little more powdered sugar if your dough seems too soft. Chill the dough at least an hour, and then roll into small walnut-sized balls. Place these on a sheet tray lined with waxed paper and freeze for another hour. In the meantime, carefully melt about 24 oz dark chocolate in a double-boiler. I sometimes add a tablespoon of flavorless oil, which helps to thin the chocolate a bit for easier dipping. To keep the chocolate shiny and easy to work with, set the water in the double boiler to the barest simmer, don’t let the bowl containing the chocolate touch the water, and take the chocolate off the heat source when it is about half melted. Allow it to finish melting off the heat, stirring now and then. Using a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball until it’s about 3/4 covered into the chocolate, then transfer to a sheet pan lined with clean waxed paper. Use your fingertip to smooth over the hole left by the toothpick. These will keep for a week or so in the fridge, stored in an airtight container, or longer still in the freezer.
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