Last weekend, my boyfriend and I were given some homemade, delicious peanut butter cups. I believe the sweetness of homemade Reese's and Valentine's day go together quite well, so I should not have been surprised when my boyfriend requested that I attempt to whip up a batch of my own. This has happened on several occasions, such as the mochi ice cream balls experiment, and "We have way too many dates - please make something delicious with them". Yum. These challenges generally bring lots of fun, sometimes frustration, and always excuses to purchase more kitchen equipment.
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| Showing off the cup's layering |
Back to the almond-butter, peanut-butter and marshmallow cups! It started out simple, but then both milk and semi-sweet Guittard chocolates made it into the shopping basket. Followed by a jar of marshmallow creme and a grin on my boyfriend's face. And then the suggestion of using honey and making a peanut butter option... the possibilities started adding up! I made milk and semisweet versions of both almond and peanut butter cups. Also, I tempered the chocolate, as I'm lucky enough to have an infrared instant read thermometer for accuracy, but I'm skipping that step in the instructions. The chocolate will still taste delicious and set just fine. Tempering chocolate makes the surface shiny and crisper shells.
Ingredients:
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| Milk Chocolate cup with Almond butter |
1/2 bag (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
3/8 cup natural almond butter
3/8 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
2 tablespoons of whipped honey, divided
2/3 cup of marshmallow creme
Non-stick cooking spray
Equipment:
24 mini muffin paper baking cups
2 glass bowls (for melting chocolate)
2 spatulas
2 mixing bowls
mini muffin baking sheet
lots of spoons
offset icing spatula, if available
1. Layout mini paper cups into pan, spritz each one lightly with cooking spray.
2. Work with only one chocolate at a time. In a glass bowl, melt 6 oz chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir; continue to microwave in short-bursts and stirring until completely melted and smooth, approximately 1:30 minutes total.
3. With a small spoon, scoop chocolate into the bottom of each cup. With a clean finger, spread the chocolate up the sides of the paper cup, covering it completely. Fill 12 paper cups, reserving about a third of the remaining chocolate. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine almond butter and half (1/8 cup) of the powdered sugar with a sturdy spoon. Add the teaspoon of honey. In a new bowl, do the same with the peanut butter. The consistency will be like dry paste.
5. Remove chocolate cups from the fridge. The chocolate should be hardened. Carefully use a knife and spoon to scoop and drop a small 3/4 teaspoon of the marshmallow creme into each cup. Using a spoon or your clean fingers, add in a teaspoon of the almond or peanut butter pastes, alternating flavors. The filling should almost reach the top of the cup. Return to fridge for 5 minutes.
6. Reheat reserved chocolate, in 20 second intervals in the microwave. Take the cups back out of the fridge and drop with a spoon a small amount of chocolate to the middle of each cup. Using the offset icing spatula, swirl slowly from the middle to the edges of each cup, spreading out the chocolate. Repeat with other chocolate type.
7. Refrigerate to set, then peel and enjoy! These may be kept refrigerated or at room temperature.
2. Work with only one chocolate at a time. In a glass bowl, melt 6 oz chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir; continue to microwave in short-bursts and stirring until completely melted and smooth, approximately 1:30 minutes total.
3. With a small spoon, scoop chocolate into the bottom of each cup. With a clean finger, spread the chocolate up the sides of the paper cup, covering it completely. Fill 12 paper cups, reserving about a third of the remaining chocolate. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine almond butter and half (1/8 cup) of the powdered sugar with a sturdy spoon. Add the teaspoon of honey. In a new bowl, do the same with the peanut butter. The consistency will be like dry paste.
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| Full completed tray of delicious cups! |
6. Reheat reserved chocolate, in 20 second intervals in the microwave. Take the cups back out of the fridge and drop with a spoon a small amount of chocolate to the middle of each cup. Using the offset icing spatula, swirl slowly from the middle to the edges of each cup, spreading out the chocolate. Repeat with other chocolate type.
7. Refrigerate to set, then peel and enjoy! These may be kept refrigerated or at room temperature.
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