So.. another daring bakers challenge! Woo hoo, this month's theme was Chocolate and Candy... both with capitol C's. I have always been intimidated by homemade chocolates. Whenever we would receive them for Christmas neighbor gifts, they only served to make me feel insecure about my neighbor gifts...
Never again! While some homemade chocolates can be time consuming and complicated, others are deceivingly simple and so fun to make.
Take, for example, these peanut butter bonbons!
Never again! While some homemade chocolates can be time consuming and complicated, others are deceivingly simple and so fun to make.
Take, for example, these peanut butter bonbons!
Looks a bit fancy, eh? Well, they aren't.
Seriously. Mix up some peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter with some rice crispy cereal (mmmmmmmmmmm...) and dip in melted chocolate chips.
Seriously. Mix up some peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter with some rice crispy cereal (mmmmmmmmmmm...) and dip in melted chocolate chips.
This was so fun and easy to do!
And, after all the different kinds of chocolates I made, these were the one's that received the most compliments.
Here's what you need:
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tbs butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup rice crispy cereal
1 cup chocolate chips or squares, melted
Mix all ingredients together well. Cover a working surface with powdered sugar.
Work the peanut butter mix into a ball and place on the working surface. Cut a piece of wax paper and place over the peanut butter mix to prevent it from sticking to your rolling pin.
Use your rolling pin to flatten the peanut butter mix to about 1/2 inch thick. You can use a knife or your fingers to flatten the sides of the mixture so it is all even and ready to cut.
Cut into 1" squares.
Dip each square into your melted chocolate. You can melt chocolate using a mini crockpot, a double broiler or over the stove on low. To temper the chocolate, melt half the chocolate, remove from heat, then add the rest and stir until smooth.
Place your dipped bonbon onto a piece of wax paper.
Tip: I alternated using white chocolate and milk chocolate. As I was placing the bonbons on the wax paper, I would use the chocolate dripping off the bonbon to garnish the other bonbons already on the paper.
When all of the bonbons have cooled, use a knife to trim the extra chocolate on the bottoms and place in mini cupcake papers or layer between wax paper. Place in an airtight container. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks and freezer for months.
And, after all the different kinds of chocolates I made, these were the one's that received the most compliments.
Here's what you need:
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tbs butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup rice crispy cereal
1 cup chocolate chips or squares, melted
Mix all ingredients together well. Cover a working surface with powdered sugar.
Work the peanut butter mix into a ball and place on the working surface. Cut a piece of wax paper and place over the peanut butter mix to prevent it from sticking to your rolling pin.
Use your rolling pin to flatten the peanut butter mix to about 1/2 inch thick. You can use a knife or your fingers to flatten the sides of the mixture so it is all even and ready to cut.
Cut into 1" squares.
Dip each square into your melted chocolate. You can melt chocolate using a mini crockpot, a double broiler or over the stove on low. To temper the chocolate, melt half the chocolate, remove from heat, then add the rest and stir until smooth.
Place your dipped bonbon onto a piece of wax paper.
Tip: I alternated using white chocolate and milk chocolate. As I was placing the bonbons on the wax paper, I would use the chocolate dripping off the bonbon to garnish the other bonbons already on the paper.
When all of the bonbons have cooled, use a knife to trim the extra chocolate on the bottoms and place in mini cupcake papers or layer between wax paper. Place in an airtight container. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks and freezer for months.