5.14.2006

Meena's Stevia Peanut Butter Cups

I made this one up myself... after a vegetarian 'natural sugar' recipe, that I have broken down over the years. They are rich, the chocolate is intense, so you may want to use mini-cupcake liners for a tinier taste sensation.
I don't usually measure anything, but I'll do my best for your benefit, you will find you won't need to measure either. Have fun!

Ingredients:
Stevia powder
18 liners in muffin tins (more if you use mini)
6 oz unsweetened chocolate (I prefer Ghiardelhi, Baker's sucks, Hershey's is ok)
1/2 to 3/4 cup plain old peanut butter (natural, no additives, no sugar)
Almond or hazelnut meal (ground up nuts, I found mine at Trader Joe's); 1/4 cup?
little bit o butter, one pat or so

Do it:
#1:
Melt 3 oz of the chocolate on a double boiler/ small pot over LOW heat.
Stir well!! Add Stevia to taste; I use the little tiny spoon it came with, and usually use 4 or 5 of those... between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Go slow... keep tasting until you like it. Should be smoothly sweet.
Pour a little into each liner, enough to coat the bottom of each of them.

#2:
In another little pot, melt a little butter (for lube sakes) and throw in the PB. Use whichever amount you like, want em full and gooey? use more then. Sorry, but I cook instinctually... like a granny, you know?
This is where you add Stevia to the PB mix; again, go for your taste, go slow, a little bit at a time. Cooking should be about tasting as you go, so here's your chance.
Add the nut meal slowly until the consistency is mushy, like cookie dough.
Yank those little guys out of the freezer and spoon a little of the PB mix on top of the chocolate, spread it out a little with your pinkie.

#3:
Make some more of the chocolate, same as before.
Ooze that chocolate on top of the PB cups, yum!
I put them in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up, so I can eat one right away. Why wait?

You need to store them in the fridge, they will melt like mad at room temp (you have some finger licking ahead of you) because real chocolate melts in your hand you know... enjoy!
Send me some feedback if you try this out.

1 comment:

Oceana said...

These are amazing! I had to make them immediately and I'm so glad I did. They're the perfect little treat for when I would like to reach for the sugar, and they give not only a protein punch, but a serotonin kick, too. Thank you!