Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

  • Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

    This is the fancified version of the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup.

    So buckle up.

    (No one needed to improve on the Reece’s masterpiece, but let it be said: making them with fancy dark chocolate and freshly ground organic peanut butter takes the accessible version of this treat to Foodie Land and back.  It’s really an inaccessible treat [perfect for foodies], because you need to take a second mortgage out on your home to afford the full pound of good dark chocolate, and well, the peanut butter isn’t exactly cheap because getting to press the button yourself on the nut grinding machine at Whole Foods means you’re paying through the nose for sure.  BUT, it’s all worth it.  So very, very worth it.  And since these were made in honor of the lovely Julia’s birthday, they’re really quite priceless.)

    Adapted from The Live-In Kitchen’s recipe…

    1 lb. (16 ounces) dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), chopped

    1 cup natural & smooth peanut butter

    1/4 cup honey

    2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    Sea salt (like Maldon) for sprinkling

    1. Line 24-30 mini muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
    2. In a medium bowl, beat peanut butter, honey, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth.   Scoop and roll into teaspoon-sized balls; set aside.
    3. Melt 2/3 of the chocolate in microwave for 45 seconds on 75% power until smooth (add 20-second increments in microwave if necessary to melt).  Stir in the remaining chocolate a little at a time until completely melted, microwaving in 10-second increments if necessary to melt.
    4. Spoon a small amount of chocolate in the bottom of each muffin liner, tilting the chocolate to cover halfway up the sides of the liners.  Place the peanut butter balls in the center of each chocolate-covered paper liner.
    5. Spoon enough chocolate over the top of each peanut butter ball to completely cover it and create a smooth top.  Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt on top of each peanut butter cup before the chocolate sets, and place in the refrigerator to firm.
    6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but for best flavor allow cups to come to room temperature for a few minutes before eating.

     Tips:

    • Prefer almond butter?  Use it just to shake things up!  (Or any other kind of nut butter that piques your interest.  Just make sure it’s not too oily or it will screw up the recipe… meaning you’ll need to add more sugar.)
    • Using regular PB from a jar?  Cheater!  (No judgement.)  If it’s already salted, skip the 1/4 teaspoon of the stuff.  If it’s already sugared up, well, you’re going to have to add more to get the right consistency.  More sugar: not usually a problem.
    • Prefer another kind of chocolate?  Use it.  I don’t have the energy to fight with you.
    • Maldon?  Please.  Buy.  It.  (And if you resist, please at least use a course flaky sea salt.  Skip the whole salt sprinkle thing if you’re planning on using table salt.)
    • These are very good and they will go very quickly.  Just a fair warning.  (I demolished a lot of the PB filling before dropping into the chocolate liners— the recipe happily makes too much of the PB so you should have extra to snack on.)
    • Enjoy!

     

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    May 14th, 2014 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: , ,

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