PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

YIELD: 24 servings

24 min cupcake papers (the size of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup)

8 ounces (1/2 of a 16-ounce jar) peanut butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

24 ounces chocolate candy coating or tempered chocolate

2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Lightly coat cupcake papers with nonstick spray and set in muffin tins (you can use a baking sheet, but the bars won’t keep their shape as well). Put peanut butter in a bowl and sift in the powdered sugar; stir in the melted butter. Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave or a double boiler, stirring occasionally until smooth.

2. Spoon about half of the melted chocolate into the cupcake papers, coating the bottom and sides (you can use your impeccably clean finger to coax the chocolate up the sides). Refrigerate until set, 5 to 10 minutes.

3.Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons of the peanut butter mixture into the center of each chocolate cup, keeping each dollop away from the edges. Dampen your finger with water and press down on the peanut butter to flatten it a bit, keeping it away from the edges.

4. Spoon the remaining melted chocolate over each cup to cover the peanut butter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set. These candy bars can be kept in an airtight container for a week.

PER SERVING: 236 calories; 17g fat; 11 g saturated fat; 3 mg cholesterol; 4 g protein; 22 g carbohydrate; 22 g sugar; 2

g fiber; 55 mg sodium; 42 mg calcium

YIELD: 20 servings

24 ounces chocolate candy coating or tempered chocolate 1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy

or chunky 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow

creme or fluff 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 14 ounces soft caramels,

unwrapped 1 1/2 cups roasted, salted

peanuts

1. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with aluminum foil. Melt the candy coating and spread a very thin layer on the foil, perhaps 1/2 cup in total. This will keep the nougat from sticking and make the bars easier to dip. Refrigerate the pan to set the coating while you prepare the rest of the filling. The bowl of melted coating will keep at room temperature.

2. Combine the peanut butter, marshmallow creme and vanilla extract in a bowl, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar and evaporated milk, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves.

3. Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil, and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. After 4 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and immediately add the peanut butter mixture, stirring quickly until thoroughly mixed; it should be light beige and fluffy.

4. Scrape the peanut nougat on top of the chocolate layer in the pan, and spread it into a smooth, even layer. Refrigerate the pan to cool the nougat while you prepare the caramel layer.

5. Place the unwrapped soft caramels in a microwave-safe bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream or water, depending on how soft the caramels are (use 2 tablespoons if they are fairly stiff). Microwave the caramels in 30-second bursts until melted, stirring after every interval. Add the salted peanuts and stir until they are completely coated with caramel.

6. Spread the caramel in an even layer on top of the peanut nougat. Refrigerate to set the caramel, about 45 minutes.

7. Remove the candy from the pan using the foil as handles. Use a large sharp knife sprayed with nonstick spray to cut the candy into about 20 bars. Check on your candy coating: if it has started to set, microwave it again until it is smooth and fluid.

8. Use forks or dipping tools to dip each candy bar in the coating until completely covered, then tap the fork against the lip of the bowl so excess coating drips off. Set the dipped bars on a sheet of waxed paper to cool and harden completely, or put them in the refrigerator to speed the process. These bars will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 week.

PER SERVING: 428 calories; 22 g fat; 13 g saturated fat; 2 mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 57 g carbohydrate; 50 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 177 mg sodium; 91 mg calcium

Recipe from ohnuts.com