Monday, October 8, 2012

Chocolate Peanut Balls - Candy Recipe



This scrumptious chocolate candy recipe is from my mom’s recipe book.  In the autumn season a few weeks before Thanksgiving my mother would start to make an assortment of sweets.  She would fill up decorative holiday tins with chocolate candies and set them aside. These candy tins would then be handed out to coworker, neighbors and friends as seasonal gifts of care and to say thank you.  

Chocolate candy is always well received when you add to a dessert tray at an autumn open house.  These nutty chocolate balls also make a nice afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk

You will need:
1 cup of semisweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 cup sifted powder sugar
½ teaspoon of vanilla
½ cup flaked coconut for recipe
½ cup flaked coconut for garnish
½ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions for chocolate peanut balls
  Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy
In a heavy medium sized saucepan melt the chocolate and the butter, heat at low.  Stir the chocolate sauce so that it does not burn.  When the chocolate is melted remove the pan from the heat and let it set until it is warm to the touch but not hot.
Using an electric mixer beat the egg into the chocolate until the batter is smooth.  Add the sifted powder sugar and fold into the chocolate mixture with spoon.   

Add the vanilla and mix into the batter. Stir in the coconut and the peanuts.  Using a spoon mix all of the ingredients well.


Chill the chocolate candy mixture in the refrigerator for one hour.  Take a teaspoon of the candy mixer and using your hands roll the candy into a one inch ball. 
Add ½ cup of flaked coconut to a zip lock bag.  Set the rolled chocolate candy ball in the bag of coconut and gently toss.  Garnish the outside of the nutty candy ball with the flaked coconut.

Set the candy ball on a baking sheet. Refrigerate the chocolate peanut balls for one hour before serving.  This recipe makes 30 pieces of candy.

Tips:
This is an easy recipe that you can make with your children.  Candy making is a fun activity for a cool autumn day.

Store candy in an air-tight container in a cool dry place and it will keep for several weeks.

Learn how to melt chocolate by viewing this YouTube video:

 Other chocolate and peanut candy recipes: