GIANT CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP

Giant Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup image

What makes classic peanut butter filling in chocolate cups irresistible is the edge of salt against sweet. That and a texture that hovers between creamy and crumbly. To get more peanutty goodness-and a tastier homemade version of it-blitz up peanuts, sugar, and salt and stuff it into a huge tart pan lined with chocolate. It's as addictive as the original with a freshness from just-ground peanuts.

Provided by Genevieve Ko

Categories Dessert Peanut Butter Chocolate Candy Halloween

Yield Serves 16-20

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
18 ounces milk, semisweet, and/or bittersweet chocolate (preferably 40-60% cacao), chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut or other neutral vegetable oil
1 pound unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts (about 3 1/2 cups; see Cooks' Note)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
Special Equipment
A 10" fluted tart pan with removable bottom

Steps:

Spray inside of tart pan ring with nonstick spray. Wrap removable bottom of pan with plastic wrap; gather excess plastic underneath (it should be smooth on top of removable bottom). Set inside ring.
Heat chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring, until melted. Remove from heat and, stirring constantly, add oil. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until chocolate mixture firms slightly, about 10 minutes.
Pour a little less than half of chocolate mixture into prepared pan; reserve remaining chocolate mixture at room temperature. Tilt pan until bottom is evenly coated. Chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, purée peanuts, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and salt in a food processor, scraping bowl often, until mixture forms a large mass around the blade that sticks together; do not overprocess or mixture will be too soft and greasy.
Transfer peanut mixture to a large sheet of wax paper. Press firmly into a disk 1/4" smaller than diameter of tart pan, about 9 3/4", until no cracks remain. Carefully invert disk into tart pan, centering it. Peel off and discard wax paper.
Pour reserved chocolate mixture (it should be the consistency of fudge sauce) over center of peanut disk. Tilt pan to spread completely over the top, filling the gap between edges of pan and disk, until smooth. Chill until firm, about 45 minutes.
Remove sides of tart pan. Carefully lift tart off bottom of pan, then slide onto a platter while removing plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes, then cut into wedges.