Peanut Butter Dessert Cups

SCRAPS #12: decadent peanut butter mousse w/ chocolate ganache

I’ve been on a dessert cup kick lately, trying to turn every dessert I know into a single serving dessert cup. I find them easier to store, serve or save for later.

Today’s recipe is an easy, no-bake peanut butter mousse cup with fudgy chocolate ganache, and believe it, or not, it only takes 15 minutes to make!!! It’s such a perfect summer dessert.

If you want to skip the cups, no worries! This dessert can be assembled in a loaf pan or pie dish, and sliced once cooled. Choose what works best for you and your party.

Does this recipe make too many servings? Half the ingredients and make half a portion, or, prep the full recipe and freeze half of it for later. Thaw the dessert in the fridge, overnight, before serving.

RECIPE

Makes: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 150 grams (5 oz) milk chocolate or dark chocolate, cut into chunks

• 150 grams (5 oz) heavy cream

PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE

• 226 grams (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature

• 220 grams (3/4 cup) peanut butter, room temperature

  • I like using processed peanut butter for this (like Skippy or Jif), the final mixture sets much better compared to one made with natural peanut butter. That said, natural peanut butter should do the job, you might need more sugar than what the recipe calls for.

• 120 grams (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, plus more to taste

• 120 grams (1/2 cup) heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

CRUNCH

• 150 grams(5 oz) Ritz crackers or Oreo cookies, crushed

SUBSTITUTES FOR

• heavy cream: coconut cream;

• peanut butter: tahini, almond butter;

• cream cheese: mascarpone cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the ganache, combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave at 20 second intervals, for 1 minute total. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. If you don’t have a microwave, combine everything in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until melted. Set aside to cool while you’re making the peanut butter mousse.

2. Add the cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix using a hand whisk, an electric mixer or stand mixer (with a whisk attachment), until combined, or until most of the sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour the cream over the mixture. Whip for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Taste, and add more sugar if needed.

4. Pipe the peanut butter mousse in 6 to 8 small serving cups. I used 2.5 oz glasses for this.

5. Crumble the crackers or cookies over the mousse, then pour over the cooled ganache. You could serve it right away, but I like to chill the dessert in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

6. After taking the cups out the fridge, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, so the peanut butter mousse will soften.