COCOA PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

1.  Line a tray for miniature muffins with miniature cupcake liners.

2. In a small, microwave safe bowl, combine ¼ cup peanut butter, 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla. Stir together and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir again. Feel free to shake in some ground ginger or cinnamon (or even a splash of bourbon!) according to taste. You could also combine these on the stove over low heat, but microwaving saves time. Set aside.

3. In another microwave safe bowl, prepare about a third of your melting chocolate according to brand recommendations. You can melt chocolate in the microwave, going in 30 second intervals with microwave set to 50% power. Avoid scorching at all costs. Drizzle the melted chocolate into the cup liners, gingerly going bit by bit so that you fill all the cups. (I usually go a little under 1 tsp at time; you can always go back and fill in more). (5 minutes to microwave melt and drizzle)

Whether using bars of baker’s chocolate or chocolate chips, you can melt them using the double boiler method. For example, you can balance a heat proof/metal bowl (NO GLASS) over a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with about 1 inch of water, but make sure that even while boiling, the water will not raise up to the bowl’s base. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat and put the chocolate into the bowl. Stir gently but nonstop as the chocolate melts, remove it from the heat source when there are just a few lumps left. They’ll smooth out as you finish stirring.

4. Next, spoon the peanut butter mixture into the center of the cups, going ¼-½ tsp at a time.

5. Repeat step 3 with the remaining 2/3 of the melted chocolate. Spoon the melted chocolate into the cups, covering the peanut butter filling.

6. OPTIONAL: If you wish, scatter the top of the melted chocolate with more toppings. Pumpkin seeds, chopped pistachios, orange or green dried fruit (mango, kiwis, tiny chopped or candied citrus peels).

7.  Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until firm. Enjoy!