This past weekend Mark had his fantasy football draft at the house. Since I’m not allowed to play this year (boys only!) I decided I’d contribute with some yummy treats! I have been researching different chocolate candies lately to get some ideas for my future endeavors and came across this one for chocolate footballs that I thought would be PERFECT for the occasion. Apparently the boys did too because they were a big hit! Take a look at the finished product!

They were pretty delicious, if I do say so myself. Mark is already asking for more! I think I’ll make them again for the superbowl, that will give me a little time to perfect them!

If you want to make some yourself check out the recipe after the break!

xx

Chocolate Peanutbutter Footballs

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp butter softened to room temperature
• 1 Cup peanut butter
• 2 Cups confectionery sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp & 1 Tsp milk
• 8 Oz chocolate chips or chocolate candy coating (for shiny texture)
• 2 Oz white chocolate chips or white candy coating

Preparation:

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
2. Put the peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl and mix on medium speed until creamy.
3. Add the confectionery sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla and mix on low until it is well combined. The mixture will look dry and crumbly at this point.
4. Add the milk and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture moistens. Make sure that when you mold a piece of it together it molds smoothly and does not crumble. If it is too dry or crumbly, add more milk, but only 1/2 Tsp. at a time.
5. Using a spoon or a small candy scoop, separate the mixture into 26 balls and place them on the wax paper baking sheet. Elongate the balls into the shape of a football by pinching the ends into points. They should be about 1-1 1/2 inches long. Place them into the refrigerator while you prepare the chocolate chips or chocolate coating for dipping.
6. Place the chocolate in the microwave or double boiler until melted, stirring frequently so the chocolate does not burn. *I do not recommend the microwave method* Melt until the chocolate is fluid and completely free of lumps.
7. Using dipping tools or a fork, submerge the footballs one at a time into the melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off, and place back onto the wax paper baking sheet. Repeat this with all of the footballs. You can place finished footballs back into the refrigerator to cool for decorating.
8. Place the white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler for melting, as was done with the chocolate until it is fluid and free of lumps. Then place it into a piping bag with a small tip (or a plastic baggy with the end cut off).
9. Decorate the footballs with rings around the ends and laces in the middle. Place them back in the refrigerator to cool and set. They can be stored in the refrigerator in plastic containers for up to 2 weeks (but I don’t think they’ll last that long!).  You can also cut the excess chocolate off the bottom of the footballs if you want them to look a little neater. And voila! Chocolate covered peanutbutter footballs!

A few of my observations while making these: I used milk chocolate chips for the lighter colored ones and semi-sweet for the darker ones. Let me just tell you if you plan on making these and have a double boiler for candy making…USE IT! The most difficult part of the process in making these was dipping them in chocolate after shaping and setting the footballs. I read that you can simply melt chocolate in the microwave, but it was not so simple for me! The chocolate did not melt right and was not thin enough to dip the footballs in so I had to spread the chocolate on them with a knife (and my fingers). They didn’t come out as pretty, but they still tasted great! How can you go wrong with chocolate and peanutbutter? Goodluck and happy candymaking!