I honestly think that I could live off peanut butter and chocolate for life. There’s just something about that salty-sweet, rich, buttery combination that makes my mouth water.
For the last month or so, I’ve been obsessively baking all things peanut butter and chocolate-inspired (see my homemade truffles post from last week). Brownies, cookies, cakes, truffles, protein bars - you name it, I’ve added peanut butter to it.
Now that I can no longer use pregnancy as an excuse, I’m going to blame it on the interminable drizzle, bitter cold and grey skies. I guess the pairing is just my happy comfort food.
Anyway, these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes are my latest concoction, and probably one of my favourites. For the ultimate chocoholics, they even come topped with a salted Nutella ganache and Reese’s pieces. YUM!
Dieters - I'm not sorry...
Sam x
Ingredients:
(Makes 12)
12 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups / 3 packets of the regular cups, chopped
225g dark chocolate
113g unsalted butter, at room temperature
185g caster sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
70g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
100g smooth peanut butter
For the Nutella ganache:
¾ cups Nutella
½ cups double cream
1 tsp sea salt
Chopped up Reese's peanut butter cups
Method:
1) Preheat your oven to 180C, then melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Remove from the hob, then break in the chocolate - leave to melt, then stir until smooth.
2) Next, whisk in the sugar and salt until the mixture is smooth, then mix in the eggs to combine. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa until just smooth (do not over mix), then stir in the peanut butter.
3) Place a mini Reese's peanut butter cup (or a segment of the chopped full-size ones!) into a cupcake case, then spoon in the cake mix on top - fill it so that it is about 2/3rds full. Repeat with the remaining 11 cupcakes, then place in the oven for about 25 minutes.
4) Once the cakes are fully cooled, get to work on your ganache...the fun and messy part! Place the Nutella into a medium bowl, then heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring it just to the boil and then pour it over the Nutella. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the sea salt to taste - I prefer to add a little more.
5) Let the ganache cool slightly before pouring over the cupcakes. Top with a sprinkling of peanut butter pieces!
