Buckeye Candy: Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Place the peanut butter and butter in a bowl and, using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until combined. (You can add a little more sugar if the dough is too soft.)

Next, take about 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) of the peanut butter mixture and roll into round balls. (If the dough is too soft to roll into balls, place in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until firm.) Place the round balls on the cookie sheet, cover, and place in the freezer until firm (about 1-2 hours). (Freezing makes it easier to dip in the melted chocolate).

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water. (Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer in batches (about 10 at a time) so they don't become too soft before dipping. Once they are dipped in chocolate then remove another 10 peanut balls from the freezer until all the peanut butter balls are dipped in the chocolate.)

Insert a toothpick into the top of each peanut butter ball and dip the balls, one at a time, leaving the top quarter of each ball bare of chocolate. (See video for demonstration.)  Remove the peanut butter balls from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set (about 30 minutes). Then gently remove the toothpicks, smoothing the holes. Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for about 10 days. They can also be frozen.

Makes about 40 Buckeyes. Preparation time 30 minutes.