Ingredients (makes 34):
½ cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
3 tablespoons Plew Farm maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 ⅓ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions:
Filling: To a medium mixing bowl, add the butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until smooth using an electric mixer. Add half the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and mix again until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. The consistency will be like a very thick frosting. If it's too soft to roll into balls, chill in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.
Cool: Line a baking sheet (or other pan that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper. Use a melon baller or tablespoon measure to portion out one tablespoon of maple buttercream filling. Gently roll it into a ball and place on the parchment paper. Repeat with all remaining filling, leaving just a little space between each ball so they don't stick together. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
Chocolate: Meanwhile, about 10 minutes before you plan to dip the filling, add the chocolate and vegetable oil to a large liquid measuring cup or jar (I find a glass that is deep with a wide mouth works best). Microwave in 20 second increments until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth. Give it a stir and then set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Dip: Dip the cold balls of filling into the chocolate one at a time and return to the parchment paper. Leave space between the chocolates so they don't stick together. I like to use a fork to dip the filling. Drag the bottom of the fork along the top rim of the glass to remove excess chocolate. For decoration, re-melt any excess chocolate (if necessary) and drizzle it over the chocolate dipped candies.
Refrigerate: Place the chocolate candies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the chocolate sets completely.
Recipe by: Jamie - vibrantlygfree.com