Chocolate Nut Butter Cups

• dark or milk chocolate↗300g g

  chopped

• butter↗125g g

  softened and chopped

• powdered sugar↗250g g
• nut butter140g g

  (I used soft peanut butter, hazelnut butter and pistachio nut butter – but you can use only peanut…)

• nuts25g g

  (I used peanuts, hazelnuts and pistachios)

• coarse sea salt↗

  (optional)

• foil molds for petit foursabout 24

  about 24

• mini muffin tins2
• pastry bags3
• gold leaf↗

  and brush for decoration (optional – see notes)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Pour half of the chocolate into a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate. Place the petit‑four molds into the cavities of the mini‑muffin tins. Fill each with 1 tsp of melted chocolate, then gently rotate the mold so the chocolate coats the walls. Repeat for all molds, leaving about one‑third of the chocolate in the bowl. Refrigerate the shells until set while you prepare the fillings.

2. 2

   Place the butter in a large bowl together with the powdered sugar. Beat well with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until the mixture is light and creamy. Divide the mixture into three bowls, then fold in the peanut butter into one, hazelnut butter into the second, and pistachio butter into the third (as desired). Transfer the fillings into three pastry bags.

3. 3

   Remove the chocolate cups from the fridge and fill them with the nut mixtures. If the remaining chocolate has hardened, remelt it as before. After melting, carefully spoon it over the top of each cup to seal the nut butter.

4. 4

   Place a whole nut (or a nut covered with gold leaf, a pinch of coarse sea salt – or any combination) on each cup. Chill for at least 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (see notes).