Kirsten says: “Just when you thought a chocolate and peanut flavour combo couldn’t get any better. Here, a biscuity peanut butter base acts as a little bowl for lush honeyed caramel, with chocolate whisked through in the final step because, well… chocolate. Believe me, you will fall in love with these wickedly irresistible caramel cups.”

Makes 12

Ingredients

For the peanut cookie cups:

85g (3 oz) unsalted butter
65g (2¼ oz) soft brown sugar
65g (2¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
95g (3¼ oz) crunchy peanut butter
30g (1 oz) whole egg
125g (4½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of baking powder
pinch of sea salt
75g (2½ oz) good-quality milk chocolate, chopped

For the caramel filling:

250ml (9 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
pinch of sea salt
185g (6½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
65g (2¼ oz) liquid glucose
35ml (1¼ fl oz) water
150g (5½ oz) unsalted butter
25g (1 oz) honey
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
75g (2½ oz) good-quality milk chocolate

Method

To make the peanut cookie cups, preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until well combined and completely smooth.

Add the peanut butter followed by the egg and mix to combine.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix until almost completely incorporated.

Lastly, add the chopped milk chocolate and mix until the ingredients just come together as a dough.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 12 even portions.

Place the pieces of dough into the holes in the tin, pressing them into the base and sides to form a cup.

Line each cup with scrunched then flattened baking paper, and fill with uncooked rice. Bake for 8 minutes. (This is called blind baking.)

Remove the paper and rice and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Leave to cool slightly. When the cookie cups are firm enough to handle but still warm, remove from the tin and leave to cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack.

Clean and dry the muffin tin.

When the cookie cups have cooled completely, return them to the clean tin.

For the caramel filling, heat the cream, vanilla and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.

Heat the sugar, glucose and water in a large saucepan over medium heat until the temperature reaches 145°C (293°F).

Reduce the heat to low, immediately add the butter and honey and whisk by hand to incorporate.

One-third at a time, pour the hot cream mixture over the caramel and whisk to combine.

Carefully add the bicarbonate of soda, then increase the heat and bring to 118°C (244°F) while whisking continuously.

Once the caramel reaches temperature, remove from the heat and immediately add the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated.

Pour the caramel into the prepared peanut cookie cups and leave to set at room temperature for 1 hour.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.

Next level

This recipe can also make one spectacular large tart. Press the cookie dough into a fluted flan (tart) tin, then follow the recipe. Serve slices with fresh cream or ice cream.

The peanut cookie cup mixture can be used to make beautiful cookies.

3 snackable chocolate bakes to help you beat the 3pm slump