Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts "Happy Valentines Day"

Here is another sweet treat just in time for Valentines Day. I saw these cute little Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts over at the Sunday Baker. I really wanted to make them last year, but ran out of time. So this year I made a point to get them done. To me these yummy little hearts taste just like Reese's peanut butter cups and who doesn't like those.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter such a awesome combination. These cute little hearts will make the perfect gift for that special someone. My kiddos will be giving these little Pb hearts out as teacher gifts. Every holiday we make a point to give the teachers something sweet and yummy.

There is still time to make these for Valentines Days!! If you have a peanut butter lover in your house I suggest hiding these little hearts until the big day. If not you wont have any left to give, because once you taste them they will disappear so fast. I am happy to say mine are under safe lock and key in the freezer. LOL.

Here are my little valentines with their valentine gifts for their teachers. We added Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies, Peanut Butter Hearts, Chocolate Kisses and a heart shaped note. I think the teachers are really going to love their Goodie bags.

Carson working hard putting all the chocolate hearts in his teachers gift bag. Mrs. 
Schildmayer I think Carson snuck you a few extra. Smart boy!!!

In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and butter. Stir until very creamy. Slowly start to stir in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Eventually you can just use your hands to start mixing it in. You want the mixture to be the consistency of play-doh. It should not stick to your hands at all and you should be able to easily form a ball with it.

Sprinkle a clean surface with a dusting of powdered sugar. Flatten some of the peanut butter dough on this surface, and slowly roll it to about 1/2" thickness (it should be very easy to roll. If not, add more powdered sugar). 

With a 1-1/2" heart cookie-cutter, cut out the heart shapes: Place the hearts on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (I placed them in the freezer overnight). I like to spread out my candy making so I'm not doing it all in one day. 

Using a large fork, dip the hearts in the melted chocolate one at a time. With the covered heart sitting on the top of the fork, bang the fork against the side of the dish removing any excess chocolate. Place the heart on the wax paper to set. I used kitchen shears to trim away the extra chocolate around the edges of the hearts. Don't let the chocolate get totally set when doing this or it will break the chocolate instead of trimming it off.

Let sit on the counter until completely hardened. It wont take long for these to set up.

Here is the yummy peanut buttery center. Very pretty!!!! I think these would be so cute placed in little valentine boxes or placed in a heart shaped chocolate box.

This is a very inexpensive and cute sweet treat.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

1 - 16 oz sized jar of peanut butter
1/2 - cup butter, softened
5 - cups of powdered sugar 
1 – 24 ounce package milk chocolate almond bark

In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and butter. Stir until very creamy. Slowly start to stir in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Eventually you can just use your hands to start mixing it in.

You want the mixture to be the consistency of play-doh. It should not stick to your hand at all and you should be able to easily form a ball with it.

Once it's to this point, you won't need to add anymore powdered sugar: Sprinkle a clean surface with a dusting of powdered sugar. Flatten some of the peanut butter dough on this surface, and slowly roll it to about 1/2" thickness (it should be very easy to roll. 

If not, add more powdered sugar). With a 1-1/2" heart cookie-cutter, cut out the heart shapes: Place the hearts on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Cover with wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (I placed them in the freezer overnight).

Melt the chocolate almond bark on the defrost setting of the microwave in 3 minute intervals, stirring between each one. Melt until the chocolate is creamy and has a runny consistency. 

Do not use the cook setting or it will cook the chocolate instead of melting it. You want it thin for dipping. You can also melt the chocolate in a doubler boiler as well. Microwaving is easy and faster.  

Cook's Note: I only use Plymouths Pantry Almond Bard. I purchase mine at Super Walmart in the baking isle. In my opinion it melts the smoothest.