mini chocolate peanut butter cups

These decadently sinful — ooey — gooey — morsels — are worth every calorie. Simple to make with readily available ingredients. You gotta try ’em.

MINI CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

adapted from Ashley English’s recipe via Design Sponge.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk or bittersweet – chips or bar)
• 3 heaping tablespoons peanut butter
• 3 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 pinch sea salt

1. Line two mini muffin pans with 24 paper liners. Set aside.
2. Melt ½ cup of the chocolate in a double boiler. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the stove and turn off the heat. Or even easier, use the microwave, melting the chocolate in short bursts, stirring in between. Careful not to overheat the chocolate or it will go hard.
3. Using a small spoon, put a dollop of melted chocolate into the bottom of all the paper liners. Don’t skimp on chocolate here, this is your base. Take a chopstick or skewer (anything pointy will do); swirl and spread the chocolate around until the bottoms are completely coated. Put the muffin pans in the freezer to set a little while you make the peanut butter filling.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar and salt. Stir with a spoon until well combined. If too sticky, add some more sugar. This is where I omitted the graham cracker crumbs from original recipe because I didn’t have any, so feel free to add.
5. With 2 small spoons, shape into a small ball and scrape into each liner. If spoons get too sticky, dip into some icing sugar.
6. Remove the muffin pans from the fridge. Put one mound into each paper liner. Tap down each mound with your spoon to “nest” it into the chocolate bottom. Leave a little room around the sides which will fill in with chocolate.
7. Melt the remaining 1 cup of chocolate; dollop the top of each peanut butter mound with a generous portion of chocolate, leting it fill in the sides.
8. Using the chopstick or skewer, smooth out the tops in a swirling motion, filling in the sides.
9. Place the muffin pans in the fridge. Within one hour, your cups should be set. I couldn’t wait the full hour. I actually prefer it on the gooey side. Makes 2 dozen yummy chocolates.