Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Mousse
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
(2 cups), blanched and drained
1 cup maple syrup
3⁄4 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 cup light natural cane sugar, or more to taste
3⁄4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Candy Cups
8 ounces nondairy chocolate chips


Tip: Admittedly, this is a time-consuming process, but chocolate cups can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container, so make them when you have time to play.

Peanut Butter Mousse in Chocolate Candy Cups
Yield: 4 cups mousse

I practically lived on peanut butter cup candies one semester at college. I don’t know why I was so drawn to them, but I do know it wasn’t a good thing. Tofu and organic peanut butter, both healthful foods, are the main players in this more healthful version of the popular treat, but it’s still not okay to eat too many. Of course, if peanut allergies are an issue, you can use another nut butter in its place.
To make the Chocolate Candy Cups, you’ll need paper candy cup liners or small cupcake liners (mini cups) and a clean, small watercolor paint brush, small pastry brush, or spoon. A pastry bag will be needed to fill them with the mousse.

1. To prepare the mousse, crumble the tofu into a food processor and process 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and process 1 minute. Add the peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt, and process until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy. This can take up to 5 minutes. Stop the processor a few times to clean the sides of the bowl.

2. The mousse is ready to use, but can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to two days. Bring to room temperature when ready to use.

3. To prepare the chocolate cups, fit the paper liners into mini muffin tins or place on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Do not overheat. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.

4. Spoon some melted chocolate into each cup. Use the brush to coat the liners as thoroughly as possible. Make sure to coat the inside rim; you want to prevent it from breaking when the paper is peeled off the chocolate.Wipe off any chocolate that drips onto the outside of the rim. Refrigerate or freeze the cups until the chocolate has hardened; this will take 10 to 30 minutes depending upon how cold your freezer is, and how thick a layer of chocolate you have made. Place the bowl of melted chocolate back on the saucepan and keep it warm over barely simmering water.

5. Check the cups for thin spots. Add another layer of chocolate, coating the thin spots more generously. The chocolate doesn’t have to be smooth; the cups will be filled. Chill again until hardened.


6. Slowly and carefully peel the paper off in a spiral motion; don’t pull straight down, or the rim may break. (You may find it easier to peel the paper from the cups after you have filled them. Test one or two and decide which method works better for you.)

7. To assemble the candy cups, spoon or pipe some peanut butter cream into each cup using a pastry bag fitted with a plain or star tip. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.