Week 9 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I've had a busy week of sorts. In additional to all the regular stuff that goes on around here, I've had to bake 5 cakes to order in the last 3 days, which left me little or no time for anything else. So, for this weeks round up, I wanted something quick and easy, yet delicious. And does such a treat exist? Oh yes, it does. Say hello to Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. They come together really fast, and need I say, taste absolutely yum. It takes a whole lot of patience waiting while they set in the refrigerator (well 20 minutes is a long long time when you're dying to pop one of these in your mouth). But the wait is definitely worth it. These little treats taste just like a bar of Snickers, and I love Snickers. Imagine my joy, now I can make something very close to the original Snickers bar. I would just make one change when I make it next. And yes my friends, there will be a next time. I will use a chunky peanut butter rather that a creamy one, which I think will make it feel a whole lot more like Snickers. So if you love peanuts or peanut butter or chocolate or Snickers, you should give this one a try. The prep takes about 10-15 minutes and it takes about 20 minutes to set. Like I said, quick and easy, yet really delicious. This recipe yields 48 pieces.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Adapted from: Nigella Lawson

For the base

50 grams soft dark brown sugar
200 grams icing sugar
50 grams butter, softened
200 grams smooth peanut butter

For the topping:

300 grams dark chocolate (We prefer dark chocolate, so I left out the 200 gms milk chocolate from the original recipe and used only dark chocolate)



For the base:

Blend all the ingredients for the base in the bowl of a food processor til the mixture takes on a sandy texture.

Place 48 gold mini cupcake paper cases in sets of miniature tart tins or mini-muffin tins (each indent about 1 3/4-inches in diameter). Use 1 teaspoon of the base mixture to fill the bases of the petit four cases. Press the sandy mixture down into the cases as best you can to form a layer at the bottom of each paper case.


For the topping:

Melt the chocolate gently in a double boiler. Spoon teaspoonfuls of the melted chocolate onto the top of each of the bases of the paper cups.

Decorate the tops of the chocolate covered peanut butter cups to your liking. I used some white nonpareils, which I sprinkled on the top.

Let them set in the fridge, for about 20 minutes.

And there you go, that's how easy it is.

Don't forget to check what the others have been up to this week.

Week 9 Twelve Weeks of Christmas: