Low Carb Peanut Butter Cups
By
These sugar free, low carb peanut butter cups are better than any "diet candy" you can buy in a store. You need a mini-muffin pan, preferably non-stick. I find) that in working with chocolate without sugar, erythritol (the sugar alcohol with almost no impact on blood sugar) is really helpful. Xylitol might work just as well (but I haven't tried it)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 5 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup powdered erythritol
- Artificial sweetener equal to 1 cups sugar (concentrated liquid Splenda preferred)
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 t vanilla
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup almond meal/flour
- Artificial sweetener equal to 1 cups sugar (concentrated liquid Splenda preferred)
- Dash of salt
Preparation:
Notes on Methods and Ingredients: It is important not to overheat the chocolate. Chocolate melts at a little below body temperature - you don't need a lot of heat. There are many methods for melting chocolate - you can pour boiling water over it and then pour it off, you can heat the cream and then turn off the heat, or use your own method. But if you heat it too much it will separate. If this happens, pour off the cocoa butter, put nuts in it along with the other ingredients (except the stuff for the filling), and it will be pretty good fudge. You'll have to start over for the peanut butter cups, though. (More About Chocolate)
The chocolate and the artificial sweetener you use will make a difference. I used Hershey unsweetened chocolate because I figured it was readily available. I also used Sweetzfree liquid Splenda, but I think Fiberfit would also work, and packets would probably work. Sources of "Liquid Splenda"
You can use natural peanut butter - it's the healthiest, but it starts to separate at room temperature. I used "Simply Jif" because it doesn't separate, and only has a trace of trans fat and no added sugar.
1. Heat cream and the rest of ingredients. Turn off heat and add chocolate. If you're melting it in the cream, let stand until chocolate is melted - stir once in awhile. When it is all melted, the mixture will be fairly thick. Adjust sweetener to taste.
2. While the cream is heating and chocolate melting, mix up the filling. If it's too sticky, put a little more almond flour or erythritol into it. You want to be able to form it easily without getting it all over your hands. Adjust sweetness (and possibly salt level) to taste.
3. Put heaping tablespoons or globs of the chocolate the size of a walnut into the mini muffin tin. If it is thick enough you can sort of push out a place in the center and make the chocolate even around the sides. If it isn't yet thick enough for this, don't worry, the peanut butter will push it up the sides.
4. Form the peanut butter into smaller globs/balls. Push them into the chocolate, including pushing the top so it's flat.
5. Chill the whole thing in the refrigerator for half an hour or so.
6. Remove from fridge and run hot water over the bottom of the pan for just a few seconds.
7. Take a thin knife (I use plastic) and insert it at the edge of a cup. You should be able to turn the whole thing a bit - then you know you can easily pop it out. If it doesn't work right away, give it a few seconds so that the heat can penetrate, or it may need another shot of heat.
Nutritional Information: Each of 18 pieces has 2.5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams of fiber and 125 calories.
The chocolate and the artificial sweetener you use will make a difference. I used Hershey unsweetened chocolate because I figured it was readily available. I also used Sweetzfree liquid Splenda, but I think Fiberfit would also work, and packets would probably work. Sources of "Liquid Splenda"
You can use natural peanut butter - it's the healthiest, but it starts to separate at room temperature. I used "Simply Jif" because it doesn't separate, and only has a trace of trans fat and no added sugar.
1. Heat cream and the rest of ingredients. Turn off heat and add chocolate. If you're melting it in the cream, let stand until chocolate is melted - stir once in awhile. When it is all melted, the mixture will be fairly thick. Adjust sweetener to taste.
2. While the cream is heating and chocolate melting, mix up the filling. If it's too sticky, put a little more almond flour or erythritol into it. You want to be able to form it easily without getting it all over your hands. Adjust sweetness (and possibly salt level) to taste.
3. Put heaping tablespoons or globs of the chocolate the size of a walnut into the mini muffin tin. If it is thick enough you can sort of push out a place in the center and make the chocolate even around the sides. If it isn't yet thick enough for this, don't worry, the peanut butter will push it up the sides.
4. Form the peanut butter into smaller globs/balls. Push them into the chocolate, including pushing the top so it's flat.
5. Chill the whole thing in the refrigerator for half an hour or so.
6. Remove from fridge and run hot water over the bottom of the pan for just a few seconds.
7. Take a thin knife (I use plastic) and insert it at the edge of a cup. You should be able to turn the whole thing a bit - then you know you can easily pop it out. If it doesn't work right away, give it a few seconds so that the heat can penetrate, or it may need another shot of heat.
Nutritional Information: Each of 18 pieces has 2.5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams of fiber and 125 calories.
This recipe is courtesy of The LowCarbRecipeBox http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/LowCarbRecipeBox/
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