Healthier-For-You Peanut Butter Cups (& Wine Bonbons!)

When I was but a youngster I belonged to the Girl Guides of Canada and during one of the meetings, we learned how to make peanut butter cups. It was something like 25 years ago , but what I remember is that is was really easy. Mix icing sugar with peanut butter for the filling and use melted chocolate wafers for the chocolate coating. As for the quantities, well, obviously I wasn't going to remember them over 25 years later. But also, I'm big on flexibility in the kitchen, so I decided to mix up my own batch recently.

Rambling aside, it really is easy to mix up a batch of your own. Plus, wayyyyy healthier than the (admittedly delicious) store-bought kind, since there are three ingredients and no preservatives. Let's begin!

Healthier-For-You Peanut Butter Cups

• X tbsps. of peanut butter (X being the number of peanut butter cups that you want)
• icing sugar
• chocolate chips (or molding chocolate wafers. I just used what I had at home at the time of the craving, which was chocolate chips!)

Mix peanut butter and icing sugar to taste. Seriously, I cannot give you an exact amount, because everyone likes a different amount of sweetness. I used chunky peanut butter, but you can use all-natural or already sweetened or hey, why not almond butter! Add enough icing sugar to the peanut butter that it becomes a sort of dough. It has to be able to be rolled into little balls of about a tbsp. each. If you put in too much icing sugar, it will crack, but too little icing sugar and the peanut butter will stick to your hands.

Roll the peanut butter mixture into little balls, the size of the molds. I happen to have a candy mold that I bought on sale in a craft store, but frankly, you could use the molded plastic that chocolates often come in, when they're in layers in boxes. Or even a mini muffin tin in a pinch.

Melt chocolate chips or chocolate wafers in a mug in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Paint the inside of the molds, and set the mold in the freezer until the chocolate is set.

Push a ball of the peanut butter mixture into every mold. Press down with your thumb to make sure that it fills up the space.

I also made up some wine jelly bonbons. These are great for a more adult end to a nice dinner, to serve with coffee! I used some wine jelly that I had lying around the kitchen, possibly from this recipe. You follow the same instructions as above in terms of the chocolate coating, but just use the wine jelly as an alternative to the peanut butter filling. Easy-peasy homemade fancy chocolates! Can we say holiday entertaining? *grin*

Brush the top with the melted chocolate and return to freezer (technically, a fridge is better, but my cravings have no patience). When set, pop out the peanut butter cups from the molds, and voila! Healthier-for-you peanut butter cups!

Want to fancy them up? Why not sprinkle a little something on top the chocolates before they set up? Maybe some fleur de sel? Some chopped peanuts? A candied violet for the wine bonbons? It's up to you!

For more yummy and easy recipes, check out my blog, at www.approachingfood.com! You can also follow me on twitter @approachingfood, or on pinterest @approachingfood. Even on fb: www.facebook.com/approachingfood!