Syndicated column for week of December 17, 2012.  

Most folks living in Ohio know three kinds of Buckeyes. There’s the nut that grows on a tree. Some people call it a horse chestnut. It is good for making necklaces. There’s the football team at the OSU campus. Fans of the team are the Buckeye Nation and can be found in every state and most countries. Then there’s the candy named Buckeye.

Somehow this candy blends the elements of the first two Buckeye definitions and has become a staple in Ohio households throughout football season, ending when bowl games are played.

My family has its share of Ohio State graduates and football fans. We have also eaten more than our share of Buckeye candy over the years. I have tried several recipes and finally found one that makes the least amount of mess and the most amount of treats.

Buckeyes

8 tablespoons margarine/butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 pound powdered sugar
1 pound chocolate bark

Allow margarine to soften to room temperature. Mix margarine, peanut butter and sugar. Using a teaspoon, scoop peanut mixture and roll between your hands into small balls. The best size is about one inch in diameter. Place balls on waxed paper covered cookie sheet and freeze for one hour. Melt chocolate bark in slow cooker. Using a toothpick, dip the frozen peanut butter balls into chocolate. Swirl to coat almost entirely, but leave small peanut butter circle showing on top. Let cool on waxed paper.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Servings Per Recipe: 36, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 117, Total Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 34mg, Total Carbs: 22g, Protein: 2g.

Variation: you could exchange the chocolate bark for white chocolate bark, but then you wouldn’t have Buckeyes. If you make the candy this way, don’t serve it to an OSU fan!

As I mentioned, I have found the best size for these candies is about an inch in diameter. This provides a neat bite sized treat that folks can pop in their mouth, without being overwhelmed by the sweetness. A larger ball, that requires several bites, will tend to crumble and you will lose some goodness onto the napkin.

We always use creamy peanut butter because we like the center of this candy to be rich and creamy. However, some folks will use crunchy peanut butter.

I have seen recipes that call for the chocolate coating to be made from chocolate chips. I have learned the chocolate bark sets up in a nice firm shell more quickly than the chips. It also melts into a smooth consistency for dipping without clumping or seizing. I prefer to use my chocolate chips in Toll House cookies, anyway!

Buckeyes make a nice addition to the Christmas cookie plate, and that’s what I plan to do with the ones I have made. Although, a plate full of Buckeyes is always welcome at college football bowl game potlucks!

There’s a fair amount of time involved in the rolling and dipping of these candies, but the effort is fully rewarded by the grins and cheers when people see you walk in with a plate of Buckeyes!

Noel Lizotte is breaking free of corporate stress with convenience cooking! This recipe is similar to ones printed in her cookbook Apron Free Cooking which is available on the website www.apronfreecooking.com. 

Interested in one of the books pictured above? You can purchase on Amazon here.