Once all the snowballs are coated and the chocolate has set slightly (about 10 minutes), I add the final flourish. I warm the caramel sauce slightly so it’s drizzle-able, either in the microwave for 10 seconds or by placing the jar in a bowl of warm water. Using a spoon or a piping bag with a tiny tip, I zig-zag caramel over the top of each snowball. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt or crushed peanuts on top before the caramel sets. Then, I let them sit at room temperature until the chocolate is completely firm, about an hour. The wait is agonizing, but the reward is a perfect textural contrast.
Pro Tips for Best Results
My first pro tip is to freeze the peanut butter centers thoroughly. I’ve tried chilling them in the fridge for an hour, but they weren’t cold enough. The warmth of the melted chocolate caused the centers to soften, making them difficult to dip and resulting in a thin, uneven shell. A solid 30 minutes in the freezer makes the dipping process clean, easy, and ensures a thick, professional-looking chocolate coating.
Second, use coconut oil in your chocolate. I’ve tested dipping with plain melted chocolate and with chocolate thinned with a fat. The version with a tablespoon of coconut oil (or shortening) is far superior. It creates a thinner, more fluid chocolate that sets with a gorgeous shine and a crisp, not chewy, texture. It also prevents the chocolate from becoming too thick and clumpy as you work.
Finally, sift your powdered sugar. This might seem like a small step, but powdered sugar is notorious for clumping. If you don’t sift it, you’ll end up with little pockets of dry sugar in your peanut butter mixture, which can create a gritty texture. Taking 30 seconds to sift it guarantees a perfectly smooth, creamy center in every single snowball.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is using natural peanut butter. The oils in natural peanut butter are not stabilized, and they will separate from the mixture as it sits, creating a greasy, loose dough that’s impossible to roll and will weep oil into the chocolate shell. For guaranteed success, stick with a conventional creamy peanut butter.(See the next page below to continue…)