Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I got a little crazy the other night and decided to make homemade Easter candy for the boys this year. Part of it is to distract myself from the fact that they no longer believe in the Easter bunny - which forces me to accept that they are really and truly growing up - but also, how cool is it to receive a basket of handmade Easter chocolate? 

My plan is to make homemade peanut butter cups, Cadbury cream eggs and cookies. The latter is a little unconventional I suppose, but the top drawer of the antique hutch in my dining room is still filled with Christmas chocolates, so I'm pretty sure we don't need any more foil-wrapped candies this year. 

What I like best about these little bonbons is that they're healthy. For real. Just please don't tell the kids. This morning I attempted to make carrot cake pancakes for breakfast - they were good – but Jackson could not get past the fact that I was putting "dinner vegetables in his breakfast." If he knew that these five-ingredient bonbons were wholesome and good for him, he’d probably never forgive me.

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cups

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen and The Homemade Pantry

Makes 12 mini candy cups

• 16 oz. dark chocolate 
• 1/2 cup chilled natural crunchy peanut butter (see note below)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sea salt flakes, for topping

1. Break up the chocolate and melt it in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water. Stir to make sure it is perfectly smooth.

2. Spoon a teaspoon or so of the chocolate into the bottom of each liner and tilt and twist it around so the chocolate coats the bottom and side of the liner. Place the liners in a mini muffin tin to help them hold shape. 

3. Repeat with remaining liners and allow the chocolate to harden completely, about 25-40 minutes (you can speed up the process by putting them in the fridge). You will have leftover chocolate. Just leave it in the bowl and melt it again when you need it. 

4. Meanwhile, mix the crunchy peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth to make the filling. Scoop out a teaspoon or two of the peanut butter filling and gently roll it into a ball between your palms. Give it a press down and center it on top of the hardened chocolate. Repeat with the remaining filling.

5. Re-melt the remaining chocolate using the same method as above and add another teaspoon or two on top of each peanut butter ball to cover completely. You may need to add a little extra to get the chocolate to level above the bump of the filling.

6. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt on each one and chill in the fridge to set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.

A note about the peanut butter:

I like to use natural peanut butter that's been in the fridge, as it's a little firmer than a new package that's at room temperature. 

Comments

[Sarah M]

Yum! I hope you're going to bring some for us to test to the next team meeting!

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