Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls Recipe
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 45 minutes freezing
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes 18 balls
Ingredients Needed
- 160g/5.6ozs smooth peanut butter
- 40g/1.4ozs icing or powdered sugar
- 40g/1.4ozs vanilla protein powder (or sub with icing/ powdered sugar)
- 150g/5ozs dark bittersweet chocolate
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil (optional if the chocolate is too thick to dip)
- Pinch of salt plus salt flakes for sprinkling
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Line a baking tray with parchment. Place the peanut butter in a bowl and sift over the icing/powdered sugar and the protein powder. Mix well and then shape into balls that weigh 13g/0.5oz each - you should get 18. Place on the parchment lined tray and freeze for 45 minutes until hard.
Step 2 - Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or in a double boiler until melted smooth. Add coconut oil if using and stir very well. Dip ball into the chocolate and with 1 fork and a teaspoon, coat the ball with chocolate and then drain excess chocolate and place back on the parchment lined tray. Repeat until you have a row of chocolate and sprinkle with salt as you go (the frozen balls will cause the chocolate to set quicker than normal). If you need to re-melt the chocolate halfway then you can do so.
Personal Note
My biggest fan while I was making these peanut butter balls was Teddy Elliott. Peanut butter is often used here as a bribing tool like when we need to give the boys medication. Teddy was lingering not so subtly hoping for some peanut butter while I was mixing and shaping these balls but I always like to make sure that they're not around when I'm working with chocolate for dipping.
It has been a couple of years since Milo arrived and shook up little Teddy's world. He grew up instantly from a naughty boy to a big brother and Milo assumed the role of little brother. Now when we look at Milo we say, "I wonder when he will grow up?" in the same way that we would wonder about Teddy. Milo is bigger, bouncier and more confident so tiny Teddy would shrink a little. We've been trying to slowly but steadily build Teddy's confidence without diminishing Milo's and I think that has worked. Teddy gets fed first and he can also eat a wider range of food. Milo can only eat pork but other meats are off limits because of allergies.
One night last week I brought home some leftover steak. Teddy smelled it straight away in the container and without hesitation he grabbed it with his mouth, expertly dodged his brother and ran away to try and open. There was no way that his little brother was getting it. Before he would have given it to Milo but we were so proud that he managed to take something of his own. And of course I gave him a taste of peanut butter because who can resist that face?
So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever make snacks like this? Do you like the combination of peanut butter and chocolate?