It’s the peanut butter-y post you’ve been waiting for friends! IMHO these are better than the classics. The dark chocolate and rich peanut butter is a taste explosion in your mouth. And not too sweet. One is all you need or want. Made with just four ingredients: chocolate, natural peanut butter, powdered peanut butter and a little maple syrup. You can get powdered PB at the grocery store, but check to see that it has no added sugar. I get mine at Winners -- PB&Me. I use dark chocolate. I usually make them with Belgium chocolate -- Barry Callebaut callettes from the Bulk Barn. I’ve also made them with chopped dark chocolate and chocolate chips. All work, just slightly different taste and texture.
You can make these in regular muffin liner size (similar to a Reese cup) or in the minis. You'll get more if you make them mini, which is pretty great.
Enjoy the peanut butter breath my friends!
Vibrantly Yours,
Shannon
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Makes 12 cups
Ingredients
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (salted)
3 Tbsp powdered peanut butter (unsweetened)
1 - 2 tsp pure maple syrup (I use 1 but you can use more to taste)
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate callettes (or chopped dark chocolate or high quality dark chocolate chips)
Maldon sea salt flakes (optional)
How to Make:
1. Place muffin liners into a 12-muffin tin pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix together peanut butter, powdered peanut butter and maple syrup.
Note: you may need to add a little less or little more powdered peanut butter depending on the consistency of your smooth peanut butter. You want to mixture to be like a cookie dough that you can easily roll into small balls.
3. Using a teaspoon measure, scoop a heaping spoonful of the dough and roll it into a ball. Using your fingers, press the ball into a flat, but thick round. (roughly 1 cm X 3 cm). Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, add just enough water to a small pot so that it's not quite 1/4 full. Bring water to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Place a glass or metal bowl into the pot so that it fits snugly into the pot and sits above the water. Make sure that the pot doesn't touch the water. *
5. Add 1 cup of chocolate to the bowl and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add in the other 1/2 cup of chocolate, stirring until all chocolate is melted and it is smooth. You might need to put it back over the simmering water to melt it a bit more.
6. Using a teaspoon measure, pour one scan teaspoon of melted chocolate into each liner. Gently tap the pan onto the counter to make sure the chocolate is spread across the whole liner. Place a peanut butter round into each liner, pushing down to make sure that it is nestled in. Top each round with more melted chocolate. Tap the pan gently down onto the counter to make sure that the chocolate covers the entire round.
Place into the fridge for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with maldon sea salt flakes (if using) and put back into the fridge to harden.
7. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. They might last longer, but in my house they haven't stuck around long enough to test that theory!
* Alternatively, put chocolate in a microwave proof bowl and melt using low power, removing every 30 seconds or so to stir, until all chocolate is melted and it's smooth. It's simpler in some ways, but I find I can control the melt better in a make shift double boiler.