This week’s recipe: Sweet Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Author: Marla Abramson

Is school getting to you? Between the job search and midterms, I’m more wound up than a matchbox car. Cooking often provides a good outlet and let’s face it, sometimes us Fuquans deserve to indulge. And nothing says indulgence better than chocolate. It can be complex, simple, or refreshing but anyway you make it, chocolate can be more than a sweet treat.

 

This past Saturday, Fuquans and partners tested this theory at the Culinary Club's Chocolate Progressive event. With 13 dishes in 10 apartments, there was a lot to sample. John Yuen rolled fruit and sticky rice into his chocolate sushi, while Erika Jennings dished out bread pudding. Other students offered Oreo-crusted white chocolate mousse torte, chocolate hazelnut mousse cake, white chocolate raspberry brownies, and chocolate caramel cheesecake.

 

I myself whipped up a batch of chocolate peanut butter balls: the chocolate tastes both simple and complex and packs enough sugar to fuel my team through midterms. Speaking of which, try this recipe to celebrate the end of exams and start your Thanksgiving early.

 

Sweet Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

 

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups creamy peanut butter

3 cups confectioners' sugar

3 cups crispy rice cereal, crushed

1 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels

2  12-oz packages semisweet chocolate morsels

 

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, rice cereal and mini chocolate morsels. 

2. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, place onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet, and put the tray in the freezer.

3. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the semisweet morsels. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. If pressed for time, microwave the chocolate for 80 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds.

4. Dip the frozen treats in the melted chocolate, and put them on a cool cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Place the chocolate-covered treats in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

6. Store the treat in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Makes about 3 dozen