Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Decadence


I don't often make sweets. I mean real sweets, as in something you eat more than one, or two of and feel a slight sense of guilt, not to mention a little ill in your tummy. But, tonight I decided to look past the healthy nut cookies and the quinoa cakes and attempt to recreate my favourite tasty treat: peanut butter cups. Because there are no bottles of Skippy peanut butter or milk chocolate in our house, it was dark dark chocolate all the way, with an almond butter filling. I didn't exactly need a recipe as I don't think it's possible to really go wrong with those two ingredients, but the best part is that they even look like the real thing. Actually, maybe the best part is that they are so insanely rich and sweet that half of one is enough of a treat (ok, maybe a full one).



The ingredients:

These are all estimates as I was kind of winging it:

-2 bars dark chocolate
-1/2 cup almond butter
-4-5 tbsp coconut flour
-1 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt

In a double boiler (one small pot over a larger pot with hot water), I melted about 2/3rds of one chocolate bar. I lined a muffin pan with twelve paper cups and poured the melted chocolate into each, turning each cup so that the chocolate spreads across the bottom. I popped the tray in the freezer while I made the filling. In a small bowl, mix the almond butter with the flour, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt, until it has a slightly doughy consistency. Create tiny "paddies" and place one on top of each cooled chocolate in the muffin papers. Press each patty a little bit flatter. Melt the rest of the chocolate and pour over the almond butter filling. Again, turn each paper cup so that the chocolate covers the filling. Sprinkle with some sea salt if desired and pop back in the freezer. They will be ready in just a few minutes!

On a much healthier note, our rooftop veggie garden is coming along nicely. Well, maybe that is a slight stretch of the truth as it is somewhat of a meadow right now, but it's a work in progress. Man, those weeds can grow FAST! It was almost unrecognizable, although I had a feeling it was ours as it was the only non-manicured perfectly plotted garden up there. Ooops, that is a little embarrassing!

Adam is very proud of our "meadow." We've got some fertile soil! Note the weeded gardens all around us. Also note the coffee cup in his hand. Yep, we enjoyed dry cappuccinos while gardening on our rooftop: YUPPIE alert!

4 comments:

Kamal Rae said...

you're missing something from that photo to be real yuppies - a poodle!

Mark said...

looks good Lauren - after all, chocolate is one of the essential food groups :) All the best!

Wendy said...

Did you save me one?
I'm a die-hard chocaholic.

Nicola Gildersleeve said...

Hey. We met down at Chuckanut. My boyfriend (Peter Watson) and I ran transrockies with Adam last year.

I have an ultra running blog and I always post recipe's, so your comment about having a triathon and food blog is awesome!!!! Keep the recipes coming, I am now dying to make those peanut butter cups!!!!!mmmmmm

ps- your post inspired my salad that I had for lunch...I didn't forget the cheese....sooo goood!