
Peanut Butter Eggs


Ingredients
- 2 cups peanut butter, smooth
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, soft
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1 pound (16 oz.) best quality chocolate or chocolate candy coating for dipping*
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix peanut butter and soft butter until smooth. Add vanilla and 1/2 of powdered sugar and blend well. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Some peanut butter brands may be a little “drier” and it may be necessary to add a little more peanut butter. The consistency of batter should be very firm and hold its shape perfectly when formed into eggs.
- Shape batter into eggs and place on parchment or wax lined cookie sheets. Set aside.
- Use tempered chocolate or melt candy coating over a bowl of barely simmering water until melted.
- To create stability and make it easier to dip the eggs in chocolate, dip bottom of eggs first in chocolate and place on parchment or wax paper.
- Using a fork, pierce bottom of egg and dip in chocolate, coating evenly. Place eggs on parchment or wax paper to harden completely.
- Decorate as desired.
*The difference between real chocolate and candy coating is that real chocolate is made with natural fat from cocoa bean. Real chocolate melts below body temperature and thus melts in the mouth. Candy coating is not made with 100% cocoa butter and is the reason why this product cannot be named chocolate.
Traditionally hydrogenated fat is used in candy coating which is often described as feeling waxy in the mouth. The disadvantage of working with real chocolate is that it requires attention to detail. If not, the chocolate may not set properly and be crisp. Candy coating can simply be melted and be used and will always harden. For working or tempering chocolate visit http://www.eddyvandammeusa.com/2009/09/tempering-chocolate/.
My husband LOVED these!! I did as well! Sweet and definitely hits the spot. My husband's only "complaint" was to make them smaller so he wouldn't eat so much at once to make them last longer! :D
This recipe is great! It makes really large eggs and I ended up with about 3 dozen. If you don't want that many, cut the recipe in half. Mine don't look as perfect as these but they taste fantastic! Very rich and easy to do!