ChREESE's Peanut Butter Cups

 Homemade nut butter cups revisited

A bit of personal peanut butter history

Unlike most kids, I didn't like normal kid food, including cake, frosting, wonderbread sandwiches, chicken nuggets, or peanut butter and chocolate. Then around 16, I made a quick turn around and peanut butter became a new staple. Something about college life, running, and working kept me coming back for it. When evacuating my dorm in the Santa Barbara tea fire, I grabbed a few valuables, including a jar of peanut butter in case I were to end up without food.  I always carried it in my travel bag until it was confiscated by security for being a dangerous liquid. Well, I would not consider peanut butter a liquid. But I would consider it dangerously good.

Especially when paired with chocolate. It's the chocolate that really makes this dessert with the sweet and salty combination. Now that dark chocolate is on the healthy list, there's a new family rule to always have at least one spare brick (1 lb) in the house.   

In comparison to the almond butter cups, these are easier to eat, and not quite as messy.  Using honey instead of sugar resulted in a thicker peanut butter mixture. Then increasing the coconut oil made them easier to bite into. These made 14 miniature cups,  2 large cups and enough peanut butter and chocolate for left overs.

Ingredients

• 300 grams or 11 oz dark chocolate
• 2 Tbs coconut oil
• 16 oz roasted peanuts (or 1 cup creamy peanut butter) Next time I'll try crunchy peanut butter.
• 2 Tbs raw honey
• dash cinnamon opt.

Step 1 Prepare chocolate cups

• Melt coconut oil and chocolate in a double boiler. 
• Coat the silicups or muffin papers evenly
• * Silicon baking cups- I find mine at William's and Sonoma
• Freeze for 8 minutes - enough time so they are firm

While they are chilling make the peanut butter mixture

Step 2: Peanut honey butter

• Poor 8 oz peanuts in a food processor and blend until smooth but not soupy. 
• Add honey and cinnamon and blend for 15 more seconds. Add salt if using unsalted peanuts.

Step 3: Fill Cups

• Add peanut-honey butter based on your desired peanut to chocolate ratio.  
• Cover with just enough chocolate
• Chill until firm  

"One of my greatest finds for this year was my discovery of peanut butter"- Peter Trudelle

Enjoy!

Expect something savory for next time.