Sunday, January 31, 2010

Welcome to Sweet Sunday

I am starting something new on my blog today...Sweet Sunday!!! Every Sunday I am hoping to post a sweet recipe and maybe share some other sweet stuff.

First up for Sweet Sunday are dark and white chocolate peanut butter cups.

Peanut butter and chocolate is my most favorite food combination ever. There are the classic combinations like apples and cinnamon or graham crackers and jelly...but there is something special about peanut butter and chocolate. I remember hoarding pb cups at Halloween as a child. Wait...I still do that. When I ran across this recipe at Vanilla Kitchen I just knew I had to try these! Suprisingly, I had never tried to make these on my own before.

For the first step, this recipe involves using a pastry brush to brush the insides of a cupcake liner in a mini cupcake pan with melted dark chocolate. The first couple I tried to paint didn't go so well. I was wishing I had just stopped at Target to get a bag of reese's on the way home! But I got the hang of it and the last 12 turned out great!! Basically you paint the outside with chocolate and let the layer harden in the fridge. Add PB mixture, let harden...add melted white chocolate, let harden...then cover to the top with dark chocolate.


Then really turned out great! I was nervous about getting them out of the wrappers, but the wrappers just peeled right off! And all the layers...wonderful!!! I think my next try will be to use milk chocolate for the outside layer. The dark chocolate was awesome but I think milk chocolate would be just as good. Here's the official recipe...

Dark and White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
recipe adapted from Vanilla Kitchen

12 oz bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao-no exceptions)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers
1 cup white chocolate chips

1. In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and graham crackers.

2. In a double boiler, carefully melt the chocolate (set a metal bowl on top of a saucepan with boiling water).
Use regular or mini cupcake tins and line them with cupcake liners.

3. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted chocolate on the bottom and sides of mini cupcake liners; when in doubt, add more chocolate, since this will be the base for your candy. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

4. While those are in the freezer get out the peanut butter mixture and form into teaspoons or tablespoon balls depending on what size peanut butter cup you are making.

5. Remove the cupcake tins from the freezer, and place about one teaspoon (1 tablespoon for larger size) of the peanut butter mixture in each cup, make sure to put it in the middle, not touching the sides of the cup.

6. Spoon melted white chocolate on top of each cup, make sure to get filly in around the sides too. Harden the chocolate in the fridge.

7. Spoon dark chocolate over the top until the cup is full.

8. Place the peanut butter cups back in the freezer for another 15 minutes to set. Let them sit at room temp before devouring. Should make 12-16 mini's or 8 big ones.


Thanks for stopping by today!! I am excited about Sweet Sunday and I already have some recipes planned to try. Let me know what you think and if there's anything you might want to see. Have a sweet day!!

18 comments:

Samantha Hauzer said...

Yum! They look absolutely divine, I will definately be giving that recipe a go. Thanks for sharing :)

wendipooh13 said...

oh wow those look amazing!!!! and I love peanut butter and chocolate.. going to have to try this one out

Gina said...

yummo!!!

anya said...

Oh WOW! These look amazing! Thanks for the recipe!

Sue said...

What a sweet idea;) These look absolutely decadent! I'm with you... peanut butter and chocolate are perfect together! Mmmmmmm!

Joni M said...

YUMMY YUMMY stuff!!! I love peanut butter and chocolate together too! Have you every tried a Nutella and Peanut Butter sandwich? YUM!

VanessaB said...

mmmm.... yum!! quit posting the recipes. i don't want know how to make them. ha ha!

mustangkayla said...

Boy do those look DELICIOUS! I didn't get dinner tonight...now I'm craving chocolate!

Mona Pendleton said...

Mara, I KNOW these are not low cal & nor are they on my diet & probably just looking at them will add girth to my hips BUT they sure do look scrumptious! :) TFS

IamDerby said...

Oh yum! if I made these I would have to take them straight to work, lest I eat them all!

Angie said...

Those look so yummy. I might i have to try this.

Rebecca Keppel said...

Yowza! Those look incredibly rich and delicious.

Karina said...

What a great idea - I always love your sugar fix ideas. PB and Chocolate - always a fave of mine. Yummy.

Dana said...

Holy moley! Although I'm allergic to chocolate and HATE peanut butter, my DH would just adore these. Thanks for the recipe Mara, your photos rock!

Michelle said...

Those sound down right heavenly!

melody said...

oh yummy! gotta try that recipe..we make PB cups all the time..but a lil differently!

Julie said...

How clever these are! Yum...got any leftovers? hehe :)

BethieJ said...

Mara YUMMY!!! Oh my.. I need one.. hee hee! Sweet Sunday sounds SWEET! :) What a FUN idea!!!