Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

Ingredients For Bottom Chocolate Layer:

Peanut Butter Layer:

Chocolate Layer For Top:

Instructions

  1. Line muffin pans with muffin pan liners. Foil or regular will work.
  2. Standard muffin pans will yield approximately 20 peanut butter cups.
  3. Mini-muffin pans will yield approximately 30 mini-sized peanut butter cups.
  4. Melt 1½ cups of milk chocolate chips over a double boiler.
  5. If you are using a standard size muffin pan, spoon 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate into each lined muffin pan.
  6. If you are using a mini-size muffin pan, spoon 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each lined muffin pan.
  7. Using a narrow, flexible pastry knife or a regular table knife, swirl the chocolate around the bottom of the liner so that it is fairly flat and smooth.
  8. Pick up the muffin tin with both hands and tap on flat surface to make sure all of the chocolate is flattened and smoothed in the liners.
  9. Place the muffin tin in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  10. While the muffin tin is in the freezer make the filling:
  11. In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, confectioners sugar, and softened butter.
  12. Remove muffin pan from freezer.
  13. If you are using a standard size muffin pan, spoon 2 teaspoons of the peanut butter mixture over the chilled chocolate layer in the muffin pan.
  14. If you are using a mini-size muffin pan, spoon 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture over the chilled chocolate layer in the muffin pan.
  15. Using a narrow, flexible pastry knife or a regular table knife, swirl the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate layer leaving an exposed edge of chocolate.
  16. Place muffin pan in freezer for 15 minutes.
  17. Melt remaining 1½ cups of milk chocolate chips over a double boiler.
  18. Remove muffin pans from freezer.
  19. If you are using a standard size muffin pan, spoon 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup.
  20. If you are using a mini-size muffin pan, spoon 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup.
  21. I find it works best if you spread chocolate over 1 to 2 peanut butter cups at a time.
  22. Using a narrow, flexible pastry knife or a regular table knife, swirl the chocolate over the peanut butter and out to the edge of the liner so that it covers the chocolate edge from the bottom layer of chocolate.
  23. The chocolate will firm up quickly because the filling is cold, so work fast!
  24. Repeat the above step until all peanut butter cups have been topped with melted chocolate.
  25. Place the muffin pans back in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  26. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Comments

These are best served after being chilled in the refrigerator or freezer.

Standard muffin pans will yield approximately 20 peanut butter cups.

Mini-muffin pans will yield approximately 30 mini-sized peanut butter cups.

Refrigerate unused portions in a airtight container for up to 5 days.

I find that the foil liners work better than regular paper liners, as they are stiffer and hold up better.

If you want the chocolate to taste like the chocolate in store bought peanut butter cups, you should use milk chocolate chips. You can also substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.

Peanut butter that does not need to be mixed seems to work best when making homemade peanut butter cups. It holds its form better when it is brought to room temperature after being refrigerated.

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