PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

I bought a fabulous new Cookbook the other day, called: GREAT COOKIES by Carole Walter. This book is packed with more than 200 delectable recipes, and over 150 tantalizing photographs! It was worth the $35.00 hard back price. It’s about 3″ thick! I debated for at least an hour, whether or not to pay that much money, for a Cookie Cookbook. OH….I’m glad I did. I spent 2 1/2 hours drooling over the pictures and the recipes the first night. I’m only a quarter of the way through this tempting book. I’m going to be trying many of these sensational sweets, over the next few weeks. I will also be giving most of them away. My hips don’t lie! Here is a pretty little sweet, I thought I would pass along to you today. Enjoy!

YOU WILL NEED:

2 1/3 Cups sifted Confectioners’ sugar, spooned in and leveled

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

* I used Milk Chocolate Dipping chocolate from Sugar Shell

2 cups salted peanuts, almonds or desired nut, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the sifted confectioners sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Add the butter and peanut butter and work with a wooden spoon or with your hands until thoroughly combined. Portion the dough into 60 1 inch balls and place them on parchment lined baking sheets.

2. Combine the chocolate and vegetable oil in a medium heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over a medium saucepan filled with simmering water and slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat, but keep the bowl over the pot of water. Place about 1/2 cup of the chopped nuts in a low flat dish, such as a pie plate.

3. Using a fork, dip one ball at a time in the melted chocolate. Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl to help drain the chocolate from the cookie. The coating should be thin. Roll the dipped cookie in the chopped nuts, and coat it evenly. Remove the cookie with a fork and place it back on the jelly roll pan to set. Repeat with remaining balls. (It is easier to roll the balls in a small amount of nuts, and then add more as you need them. If the chocolate begins to thicken, return the pan to the stove and heat until the proper consistency. Let chocolate set on cookie sheets, then store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. These cookies may be frozen.