Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

For those who know me well, the following should come as no surprise. I think I've mentioned before that I'm quite anal about throwing away anything I don't need and compulsively deleting anything on my hard drive that isn't useful to save space. Same goes for my ipod, my closet and my recipe files. I can't explain this tendency, but if it's lying around and it has no purpose, to the trash it goes, with no regrets. I'm the same regarding food. When I open a jar of something, I don't like to have it lying around on the pantry shelf forever. Such raw baking materials I would never throw out, G-d forbid!, but I do like to use it up as fast as I can. That's why, on the blog, you'll often see recipes starring the same ingredients posted very closely together. My jar of peanut butter was sitting on the shelf with about a cup left in it. Wednesday, my in day, seemed the perfect opportunity to use it all up. (Next week, I'll have to deal with the leftover dulce de leche!) I'd long been wanting to make a homemade version of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups so working from a Baked recipe, I made them. They're fast, simple, adorable to look at, identical to the original and most importantly, supremely delicious, if a bit rich. These are made with but a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in the kitchen. The few who tasted these proclaimed these the best things I've ever made. Really? Not sure about that, but they were definitely up there. These are also so authentic looking that I swelled with pride every time someone pulled back the wrapper... This batch makes twenty four mini cups. If you can find black or brown mini muffin cups by all means use them. Your consumers are sure to be fooled. Be warned though.... these are far better than store bought....

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

based on Baked

Bottom Layer:

5 ounces milk chocolate

1 cup smooth peanut butter

Top Layer:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/2 tsp light corn syrup

4 tbsp butter or margarine

Line mini muffin tins with mini liners. You'll need two trays. Set aside.
Place the peanut butter and chocolate in pan,
and heat until melted. Stir until smooth.
Using a mini ice cream scoop, scoop this mixture evenly into all your liners. Set in the fridge to chill while you make the top.
Place the topping ingredients in a pan or a microwaveable bowl.
Melt, stirring until smooth.
Scoop this on top of the chilled peanut butter. Use a small offset spatula to spread the coating to the edges if necessary. Chill.
Serve. How easy was that??