CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER VALENTINE’S HEARTS

This chocolate filling recipe is the best I have ever had.  It is smooth and not grainy like so many others are. I make these for Valentine’s Day, but you can cut them into any shapes you want for any holiday as long as you have mini cutters.  These are so rich you don’t want to cut them with larger cookie cutters.

I have done these both ways, using candy coating and melting the semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, whatever I have at the time.  The candy coating is easier as it is well tempered already and chocolate can be tricky to work with. 

Treat your Valentine with these amazing peanut butter chocolate hearts and they will feel so special.  A homemade treat made with love.

I have only made this recipe once before but it is a fantastic recipe for the peanut butter and chocolate lovers in your life. A great homemade treat for them for Valentine’s day. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter, room temperature

¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

CHOCOLATE COATING INGREDIENTS:

10-12 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate chopped into small pieces. Optional: Use a good quality Candy Coating (it is easier to work with)

DIRECTIONS

1. Line and 8X8 pan with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the sides so you can easily lift it later and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt, until sugar dissolves. Next, gradually mix in the powdered sugar.

3. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula or simply press it with your palms to flatten to about ½ inch thickness.

4. Place it in the freezer until firm enough for cutting.

5. When the mixture is cold enough, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

6. Using a small cookie cutter in the shape of a heart, cut out the hearts and place them on the tray. Don’t waste any of the dough, pick up leftover dough and knead, press with your palms and you will be able to cut out at least a few more hearts.

7. Place the hearts in the freezer until firm.

8. Melt the chocolate (or candy coating) and line another tray with parchment paper.

9. Using a fork, dip each heart into melted chocolate to cover completely. Gently tap the fork to drip off the excess chocolate. The peanut butter filling softens really fast so take just a few hearts out of the freezer at a time and dip them and repeat. Place your chocolate dipped hearts in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets. 

10. Store these in the refrigerator or freezer to store.