Peanut Butter Truffles

Chocolate truffles - another thing I can cross off my list of things I wanted to make! And another thing that for some reason seems scary or difficult but is actually one of the easiest things ever. Can you heat cream and peanut butter, pour it over chopped chocolate, add butter, refrigerate and then scoop into balls? Super easy and very well received. The truffles had that wonderful yielding chocolate ganache texture, mmm. I rolled most of them in chopped roasted, salted peanuts but because the truffles are so soft, I'd recommend coating them in chocolate first and then rolling them in nuts (or not).

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Chocolate Cookie Bark
Peanut Butter Fudge
Rich Chocolate Cheesecake
Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

Peanut Butter Truffles
Adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Makes about 5 dozen truffles

I'd recommend dipping the truffles in melted chocolate before rolling them in nuts.

12 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 cups roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped, for rolling

1. In a small pot over medium heat, stir the heavy cream and peanut butter until the cream is steaming and tiny bubbles have formed along the edges. Do not boil. Whisk until smooth.

3. Pour the hot peanut butter cream over the chocolate to cover completely. Set aside for 5 minutes, and then whisk until smooth.

4. Whisk in the butter to the still-warm chocolate mixture until smooth.

5. Refrigerate uncovered until the truffle base is firm enough to scoop, at least 2 hours. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the truffle base, and form into balls by rolling them around quickly in your hands.

6. Place the chopped peanuts in a shallow soup bowl. Roll each truffle in peanuts to cover.

The truffles are best eaten at room temperature. They keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Cookie Bark

This is a super easy and delicious treat to make, and it looks good too! I heard about it from a friend and couldn't stop thinking about what cookie bark would taste like. I finally got around to making it and it was really addictive. I rarely ever eat Oreos on their own but when they're in something else I always want to try it. (Like the Cookies & Cream Pound Cake from My Sweet Vegan.)

I felt wrong melting chocolate in the microwave and thought about doing it on the stove over steam but then thought ah well whatever and just went for the microwave. The peanut butter mixed into the white chocolate was so good I could've just eaten it with a spoon when it was melted. Actually I did, but just a bit! I might now become obsessed with the white chocolate peanut butter combination. Next time I'm going to use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet because I'm more of a milk chocolate person, but if you like dark chocolate then use that.

You might also like:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Topped Brownies
Chocolate Orbit Cake
Dulce de Leche Brownies
Chocolate Marble Chunk Cookies

Chocolate Cookie Bark
Adapted Kraft Foods

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
6 oz white chocolate
2 tbsp peanut butter
10 Oreo cookies

Place semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following directions on package. Add peanut butter to white chocolate and stir until well blended. Crumble half the cookies over chocolate in each bowl; mix well.

Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto wax paper-covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of the chocolates. Swirl a knife through the chocolate mixtures several times with a knife for marble effect.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I saw this recipe on Lynn's blog during the time I was deciding what cookies to make for Christmas. She said how insanely addictive it was and with the name "killer crack peanut butter fudge" how could I not try it? I wasn't sure I'd like it but I had to make it.

My boyfriend was excited to hear that I was making fudge, and then he saw the ingredients as they were going into the pot. But once you taste it, your brain just forgets about that because it's so good. And it's really easy to make. If only all fudge could have this smooth and melty texture (instead of being grainy or like something between a brownie and fudge).

While I, my family members and a couple of friends were big fans of this fudge (even one person who said he didn't like fudge then tried it and really liked it), it was still too sweet for others. That's to be expected with fudge though - you do have to love sweet stuff. And yes this fudge is very peanut butter-y in the most perfect way. I'll make this fudge again and now I want to try making different types of fudge. Oreo cookie fudge? Ohh what about dulce de leche fudge, if that would even be possible.

Killer Crack Peanut Butter Fudge
Adapted from Cookie Baker Lynn

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup (160 mL) evaporated milk
1 cup peanut butter
1- 7 oz (198g) jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a pot. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, stirring until melted.. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Cut into squares when firm.**

**I cut them when they weren't completely cooled, which was about an hour or two after I finished making them. I'd leave them ideally overnight before cutting them. I think that's why my fudge doesn't look very smooth on the sides.