Chocolate Peanut Angel Sweets Recipes

HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS (BEST YOU'LL EVER HAVE!)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, allspice, and vanilla until fully combined into a sticky mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Divide the mixture into 18 even pieces, about 1 scant teaspoon each, onto the parchment paper. Then roll each peanut butter piece in your hands into a ball and flatten the top so it forms a disc. Make them as even as you can (see the photo).
• Test the size in a mini muffin cup to make sure that the peanut butter disc is just narrower than the size of the circle at the bottom, so that the chocolate will fully cover it. Set aside the peanut butter.
• Break the chocolate bars into small pieces.
• Start a small saucepan of barely simmering water.
• In a heat-proof bowl that is completely dry that will fit over the pan of simmering water, add about 2/3 of the chocolate pieces (we used a small metal bowl). Make sure not to get any water into the chocolate, since it will cause the chocolate to seize up! (There are fixes for siezed chocolate but it's not pretty.) You'll hold the bowl with the chocolate above the other saucepan with boiling water to create a double boiler (or you can use a double boiler if you have one!). Place a towel on counter next to the stove so that you can transfer the bowl to the counter as necessary and avoid any water getting into the bowl.
• Hold the bowl of chocolate over the simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt a bit, then gently stir with a spatula until the chocolate fully melts and warms to 115°F. Use a quick-read digital thermometer to check the temperature often; the chocolate will heat quickly at the end.
• Once the chocolate is at 115°F, immediately remove it from the burner onto the towel. Add the remaining 1/3 of the unmelted chocolate (called seed chocolate) and stir constantly until it melts and the chocolate temperature falls to 84°F. Be very precise about the temperature, checking with the candy thermometer every so often.
• Here's the important part: When the chocolate is 84°F, return the bowl of chocolate to above the pan of simmering water, and bring it back to 90-91°F. Keep checking with the quick-read digital thermometer until it is 91°F, then remove from the heat immediately.**
• Working as quickly as possible, place about a heaping 1/4 teaspoon in the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Use the measuring spoon to spread the chocolate into a thin circle on the bottom. Bang the pan onto the counter a few times so that the chocolate evenly spreads.
• Continuing to work quickly, place the peanut butter discs into the centers of the chocolate, being as exact as possible.
• Then, pour about 1 teaspoon of chocolate onto the tops of all 18 cups so that the chocolate fills in around it to make a chocolate cup. If the chocolate looks like it's starting to firm up, you can return it to above the hot water and stir for just a minute to heat it back up. Keep working to evenly divide the remaining chocolate between the cups. Then bang the pan several times against the counter so that the chocolate spreads evenly and the tops are level.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRIFLE

Steps:

• Cut 1 1/2 pound cakes into aprox 1" cubes.
• Make chocolate pie filling according to directions on box.
• In mixing bowl mix 1 1/2 tubs whipped topping with 2 cups peanut butter.
• Put an even layer of 1/2 the whipped topping/peanut butter mix on the bottom of trifle bowl.
• Spread a thin layer of chocolate fudge ice cream topping over that. Then add an even layer of 1/2 the pound cake.
• Add 1/2 the chocolate pie filling on top of the first layer of cake. On top of that add the other 1/2 of the peanut butter/whipped topping mix. Add another layer of the chocolate fudge.
• Now use the other 1/2 of the pound cake with the other 1/2 of the pie filling/pudding on top of it. Finish with with remaining whipped topping that didn't get mixed with the peanut butter and sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups on top of that.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1-2 hours.

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, milk, sugar and cocoa and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until uniform. Add the oats, flax seed and salt and stir well to combine.
• Immediately drop about 24 rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets and allow the cookies to cool and set for about 15 minutes. The cookies will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 1 week. If you'd like a chewier cookie, store in the fridge.