Chocolate and Peanut Butter - is there a more american combination?

Well I like to scope out other blogs every now and then and a friend at work got my hooked on www.foodgawker.com
I know she has a slight obsession with peanut butter and chocolate so everytime I see a recipe on there for some sickening dessert that combines the two, I have to send her a link.
Last week while doing my normal browse and routine salivation at the drool-worthy pictures, I came across the recipe for home-made peanut butter cups (rip-off version of Reese's butter cups).
Knowing full well that my friend would happily give her right arm for a couple of Reese's butter cups, I thought I would give these a go and see how they turned out.
So here is the recipe:

Home-made Peanut Butter Cups

(makes about 20)

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup pure icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 bag milk chocolate melts

pinch of salt

mini cupcake wrappers

Mix together peanut butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt in a bowl until well combined and smooth. Taste and adjust sugar and salt if necessary. Place in fridge to chill

Melt milk chocolate until smooth and shiny. Drop a teaspoon of chocolate in each cupcake wrapper and smooth around to coat whole wrapper in chocolate. Place in fridge until they are set.

Once chocolate is firm, fill each case with the peanut butter mixture until almost at the top. Press mixture down with your finger to smooth it out.

Once cases are filled with peanut butter mixture, top with melted chocolate so it is completely covered.

Place peanut butter cups back in fridge until they are set. (They can be stored for up to 5 days).
You can leave the peanut butter cups in their cases or take it off for a more genuine look as I have.

And there you have it! Tastes pretty close to the original and will cost a whole lot less...win-win situation I think.

Until next time...

Happy Baking!

.A.