Chocolatepeanutbuttermoonpies Recipes

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MOON PIES

Steps:

• In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and the 1 whole egg. Add the 2 1/4 cups of flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and beat until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into 2 mounds and transfer to 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pat each mound of dough into a 1/3-inch-thick square, wrap and refrigerate until firm, 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 square at a time, on a floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 13-inch square, 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out rounds and arrange them 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets; repeat with the second square of dough. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm. Reroll and cut out more rounds, using the scraps only once. Refrigerate the cookies just until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Bake the cookies in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned, shifting the pans halfway through baking. Let cool slightly, then carefully invert the cookies onto racks and let cool completely.
• Spread the melted chocolate on half of the cookies and the peanut butter on the other half. Allow the chocolate to set.
• In a small saucepan, boil the corn syrup over high heat without stirring until it registers 230° to 235° (thread ball) on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, in a clean standing mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the 2 egg whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until firm peaks form. Slowly drizzle in the hot corn syrup and beat at high speed until glossy, about 2 minutes. At medium-low speed, beat in the remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla and the 1 cup of confectioners' sugar.
• Transfer the marshmallow to a pastry bag with a plain 1/2-inch tip or a large zippered plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe 1 1/2-tablespoon mounds of the marshmallow onto the chocolate-covered cookies. Top with the peanut butter-covered cookies and press lightly to spread the marshmallow to the edges. Let the moon pies stand in an airtight container for 2 hours (they will soften slightly) before dusting with confectioners' sugar, cocoa and cinnamon and serving.

PEANUT BUTTER MOON PIE: CHOCOLATE CAKE, GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST, PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FILLING, MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 36 muffin liners. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and butter in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined. Press 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the cupcake liners and bake for 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla and coffee and mix for about a minute until well combined. Fill the 36 muffin pans with the pre-baked graham cracker crust three-quarters full with batter and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• For the peanut butter cream cheese filling: Whip the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Finally, add the peanut butter and mix until fully incorporated.
• For the marshmallow frosting: In small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, 5 ounces water and the cream of tarter and boil until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and vanilla until firm peaks form. With mixer on high, slowly stream the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites and mix for about 3 minutes.
• To assemble: Use a knife to cut a hole out of the center of the cupcakes. Fill with peanut butter cream cheese filling with a spoon and frost with marshmallow frosting.