Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
"Let me show you how to make peanut butter cups with dark chocolate using wholesome ingredients. You’ll find them irresistible as the peanut butter filling is perfectly sweet, salted and caramelly at the same time. Take out the 9 ingredients (+ salt and sweetener), a few bowls and spoons and make your afternoon tea something to look forward to. Gluten-free Oil-free High-fat Candida diet friendly (sub peanut butter if in cleanse phase) Can be made peanut-free (use almond butter instead) and even nut-free (use tahini and/or sunflower seed butter) Soy-free Refined sugar free"
NotesTips on my chocolate peanut butter cups:
You may also make no bake version of the base layer – to make it crumblier, mix about a tablespoon of extra coconut or almond flour into the dough. You might need to use your hands.
You can always add more or less of sweetener – depends on your palate. I like the peanut butter mixture sweeter than the base layer – just find the contrasts fit perfectly together.
Any reduced fat nut flour can be used instead of almond flour, i.e. coconut flour, hazelnut flour or peanut flour.
Feel free to sub some of the peanut butter with any other nut butter in the caramel layer. I like to use half peanut butter and half almond butter. Light tahini also works well in this recipe.
If you prefer your peanut butter filling really soft and runny, ditch the almond flour in the caramel base recipe.
More tips in original recipe post!
Makes6 cups
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, rinse and drain (for cookie layer)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (for cookie layer)
- 1 teaspoon salt (for cookie layer)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon xylitol or other sweetener (for cookie layer)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (dried) or 2 drops lemon essential oil (for cookie layer)
- 1 tablespoon mesquite flour (for cookie layer)
- 9/10 (1-ounce) plant milk (for cookie layer)
- 2 1/2 (1-ounce) peanut butter (for peanut butter caramel layer)
- 1 teaspoon salt (for peanut butter caramel layer)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (for peanut butter caramel layer)
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For cookie layer: first, rinse and drain the chickpeas well. Then, add all ingredients except cocoa powder and cocoa nibs into food processor and process until you have homogeneous batter. Scrape the sides as necessary.
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Next, take muffin tin and fill the holes with cupcake liners or silicone muffin moulds. Divide the base batter evenly between 6 cups and press it down with your fingers. Bake them at 180°C (355°F) for 20 minutes.
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Then, in a small bowl mix together the peanut butter layer ingredients. Use a small spoon or spatula for mixing. Again, divide it evenly between the cups placing it onto the base layer. Don’t spread it until the edges though to let the melted chocolate do its magic later.
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For the chocolate layer, chop your cocoa liquor or dark chocolate, measure coconut puree and peanut butter and place them into a heatproof bowl. Next, bring water to simmer in your saucepan. Then, turn off the heat. Now, set the heatproof bowl in the mouth of the pot, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the bottom of the saucepan. Stir coconut puree, chocolate and peanut butter mass as it softens. Make sure not to let even a drop of water to come in contact with your cocoa mass. You can also use a double boiler or a water bath melt dish, if you have one. Once you have a nice runny mass, remove the bowl from heat and whisk in salt and sweetener.
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Pour the melted chocolate on top of your peanut butter cups.
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Refrigerate for about an hour until your chocolate peanut butter cups are firm.