I almost skipped over the recipe for these little chocolate-peanut butter sandwich candies when making my recipes list. I don't really have an interest in making candies or smaller chocolate treats because I just don't think you get as much caloric "value" for effort. But I am a sucker for the chocolate-peanut butter combination, and what with variety being the spice of life and all, I decided to give them a try.
It was well worth it. Though small, these chocolate-peanut butter candies are the secret to indulging a down-home desire for a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup at even the most upscale event. (And I know we all encounter this dilemma regularly.)
I would love to say that they're also delightful to make, but the process is a bit of a pain in the rear. However, I think it's worth it if you love the chocolate-peanut butter combination and can invest in some good-quality chocolate.
Rating: 4
Here's why: Just as your teeth pierce the thin dark-chocolate top and bottom layers of the quarter-sized candies (and you think, "Oh geez, I'm going to end up spraying little chocolate shards all over the person next to me and there's no way this cocktail napkin is up for the job."), the smooth, creamy, peanut-y chocolate ganache filling gently becomes the dominant texture and flavor (and handily absorbs all the little chocolate shards, too, sparing your neighbor). Just as it softly melts and fades away, you think, "Wow, that little guy packs a punch." And you reach for another, because, after all, they're very small. Barely a nibble, really.
But, flavor experience-wise, like eating at least three Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And so much more elegant, to boot.
Highs:
Great presentation - What's great about these is that they end up looking pretty, even if you kind of screw up the cutting and assembling process (as I did). And if you don't have a perfectly round cookie cutter, use a little flower shape or whatever you can find. Mine look like deformed four-leaf clovers because all I could come up with in that size was a butter-pat cutter. But because they're small and like little sandwiches, they still end up looking nice, even if you have two left hands during the assembly process.
Something different - When was the last time you either served, or were served, something like this at a wedding/baby shower/holiday party? It's different, it's chocolate and peanut butter-y: hard to go wrong with that.
Lows:
Pouring the melted chocolate into the pans is fun. Getting the cold chocolate out is not. Especially when you are trying not to: a) leave tons of fingerprints all over the cold chocolate, b) break the edges of the chocolate shapes as you cut through the chocolate, and c) bring up pieces of the lining paper as you lift up the cut chocolate pieces.
Because of the fingerprint problem, I definitely recommend using the roasted peanuts on top. I, unfortunately, burned the peanuts while trying to roast them, and was relieved that I didn't actually have to serve them to anyone other than myself, since it's unlikely that even the best of friends would find candies with my fingerprints all over them particularly appetizing.
A little dollop of ganache topped with a peanut covers up the print you'll leave behind while assembling the little sandwiches.
Otherwise, these are fun to make and serve - delicious and different.
Penny Sous (AKA A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches)
Equipment:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325. Toast the peanuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and set aside until needed.
Heat the heavy cream and the peanut butter in a 1/1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a whisk to combine thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream and peanut butter mixture over the chocolate, and allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate the peanut butter ganache for 30 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a baking sheet with film wrap.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the remaining 8 oz. of semisweet chocolate in the top half. Heat the chocolate uncovered, while stirring constantly, until it has melted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl, and continue to stirl until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate evenly over the entire surface of the sheet (the chocolate should be about 1/8-inch in depth). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut 48 circles. Remove the circles by placing your hand underneath the film wrap and pushing the circles out, one at a time. Place the cut circles onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper (24 circles per baking sheet), and then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Remove the circles from the freezer. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium-sized straight tip, with the peanut butter ganache, using your index finger to gently press the center of the top circle into place. Pipe the equivalent of 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter ganache onto the finger imprint on the top chocolate circle. Set a single, whole roasted peanut into the ganache. Keep the Penny Sous refrigerated until needed.
It was well worth it. Though small, these chocolate-peanut butter candies are the secret to indulging a down-home desire for a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup at even the most upscale event. (And I know we all encounter this dilemma regularly.)
I would love to say that they're also delightful to make, but the process is a bit of a pain in the rear. However, I think it's worth it if you love the chocolate-peanut butter combination and can invest in some good-quality chocolate.
Rating: 4
Here's why: Just as your teeth pierce the thin dark-chocolate top and bottom layers of the quarter-sized candies (and you think, "Oh geez, I'm going to end up spraying little chocolate shards all over the person next to me and there's no way this cocktail napkin is up for the job."), the smooth, creamy, peanut-y chocolate ganache filling gently becomes the dominant texture and flavor (and handily absorbs all the little chocolate shards, too, sparing your neighbor). Just as it softly melts and fades away, you think, "Wow, that little guy packs a punch." And you reach for another, because, after all, they're very small. Barely a nibble, really.
But, flavor experience-wise, like eating at least three Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And so much more elegant, to boot.
Highs:
Great presentation - What's great about these is that they end up looking pretty, even if you kind of screw up the cutting and assembling process (as I did). And if you don't have a perfectly round cookie cutter, use a little flower shape or whatever you can find. Mine look like deformed four-leaf clovers because all I could come up with in that size was a butter-pat cutter. But because they're small and like little sandwiches, they still end up looking nice, even if you have two left hands during the assembly process.
Something different - When was the last time you either served, or were served, something like this at a wedding/baby shower/holiday party? It's different, it's chocolate and peanut butter-y: hard to go wrong with that.
Lows:
Pouring the melted chocolate into the pans is fun. Getting the cold chocolate out is not. Especially when you are trying not to: a) leave tons of fingerprints all over the cold chocolate, b) break the edges of the chocolate shapes as you cut through the chocolate, and c) bring up pieces of the lining paper as you lift up the cut chocolate pieces.
Because of the fingerprint problem, I definitely recommend using the roasted peanuts on top. I, unfortunately, burned the peanuts while trying to roast them, and was relieved that I didn't actually have to serve them to anyone other than myself, since it's unlikely that even the best of friends would find candies with my fingerprints all over them particularly appetizing.
A little dollop of ganache topped with a peanut covers up the print you'll leave behind while assembling the little sandwiches.
Otherwise, these are fun to make and serve - delicious and different.
Penny Sous (AKA A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches)
- 24 whole, unsalted, shelled Virginia peanuts
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 6 T. creamy peanut butter
- 14 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces
Equipment:
- 3 baking sheets with sides
- Instant-read thermometer
- 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
- Parchment paper
- Pastry bag with medium straight tip
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325. Toast the peanuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and set aside until needed.
Heat the heavy cream and the peanut butter in a 1/1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a whisk to combine thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream and peanut butter mixture over the chocolate, and allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate the peanut butter ganache for 30 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a baking sheet with film wrap.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the remaining 8 oz. of semisweet chocolate in the top half. Heat the chocolate uncovered, while stirring constantly, until it has melted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl, and continue to stirl until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate evenly over the entire surface of the sheet (the chocolate should be about 1/8-inch in depth). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut 48 circles. Remove the circles by placing your hand underneath the film wrap and pushing the circles out, one at a time. Place the cut circles onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper (24 circles per baking sheet), and then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Remove the circles from the freezer. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium-sized straight tip, with the peanut butter ganache, using your index finger to gently press the center of the top circle into place. Pipe the equivalent of 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter ganache onto the finger imprint on the top chocolate circle. Set a single, whole roasted peanut into the ganache. Keep the Penny Sous refrigerated until needed.
