The salty sweet combination of peanut butter and chocolate is almost as good as it gets – from a food perspective. And, taking your kids to the theater, for the first time, to see A Charlie Brown Christmas live and meeting the Peanuts Gang after the show, may actually be as good as it gets – from a parenting perspective.
Since taking my oldest to the Peanuts Movie in November, we have been all Charlie Brown all the time. One night the kids and I played our favorite song from the sound track no less than 7 times in a row. We danced around the kitchen until we collapsed from the fun.
By joyful coincidence, my parents arranged for all of us (four adults and two kids) to go to an afternoon performance of A Charlie Brown Christmas at their local professional theater. This particular performance was a first for the company in that they had never invited an all ages audience to a attend a performance. I wasn’t sure how the kids would do at a live show. I was glad to see kids younger than our 2-year old and the audience was almost half full of small children.
The kids loved the show. From the first moment the Peanuts Gang “skated” on to the stage they were glued to the story. My youngest spent the first half leaning in with eyes wide. It was magical.
I’ve been pulling out the peanut butter more lately – mostly so I can hear my two-year-old yell, “PEATTY BUDDA” when he sees the jar. His excitement over peatty budda is one of those precious little things I know will not last forever.
These chocolate covered peanut butter graham truffles are another little thing I’m enjoying right now. I wanted to do a play on the no-bake peanut butter bars made with butter and powdered sugar without the butter and powdered sugar. Dates do a great job of adding the sweetness of sugar so I knew they would be just the thing to make this new recipe work.
The truffles may be small but they pack a full peanut butter (or peatty budda) into a single bite. Admittedly the graham gets a little lost in the mix but if you dust the tops with a but of crumbled graham cracker, rather than decorate with sprinkles as pictured, you will get a little more of that familiar toasty flavor.
Share your chocolate covered peanut butter graham truffles with the peatty budda lovers in your life. I hope they bring a little joy to your day.
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Graham Truffles
Prep time 25 mins
Cook time 10 mins
Yield: 18
6 squares (41g) Graham Crackers
3-4 (70 g) Medjool dates, pitted and quartered
1/3 cup (90 g) natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
3/4 bar Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate
Pulse the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor until they are a consistent sandy texture. Add the dates and continue pulsing until the dates are completely blended with the cracker crumbs. The mixture will look like sticky sand.
Add the peanut butter and blend until the mixture is an even color and texture.
Portion the dough by the teaspoon and roll into 18 balls. Arrange the truffles on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
For best results melt the chocolate using a double boiler on medium low heat. This will melt the chocolate and keep it liquid while you coat each truffle. Working one truffle at a time, use a fork and spoon to roll the truffle centers through the liquid chocolate. Lift with a fork and place the coated truffle on the lined cookie sheet.
Once all the truffles are coated, chill them in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened. Store, refrigerated, in a sealed container until ready to serve. Finished truffles should keep for up to a week.
Notes
If the stove top is not an option, you may melt the chocolate in the microwave. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds, stir, and continue in 15 second increments until the chocolate is liquid.
You will have leftover chocolate. You use it to coat additional graham crackers, pretzels, or fruit.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 truffle. Calories: 67. Fat: 2.2g : .6g. Carbohydrates: 10g. Sugar: 4.6g. Sodium: 66mg. Fiber: 1g. Protein: 1g.
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