I discovered them at our favorite local café and work spot Café St. Jorge. If you ever make it to San Francisco, you must try this spot. The owner, Andrea De Francisco, is a Bay Area native with Portugese heritage, which means you’ll find traditional Portugese pastel de nata alongside creative vegan treats and Stumptown coffee.
I used to treat myself to Andrea’s Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, but when I was looking for something with less sugar, she turned me onto these. They are rich and decadent and really easy to make! If Sofia-Rose and I can do it, I know that you can, too.
ALMOND BUTTER CUPS
Makes 14-16 servings
Note: Silicone baking cups work well for these. If you don’t have them, use a cupcake pan with greased paper liners. I tested both and silicone cups are much easier! I got mine on Amazon for about six bucks.
INGREDIENTS
For the almond butter filling: 3 cups almond butter 1/2 cup agave 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
For the chocolate shell: 2 cups chocolate chips 1 teaspoon salt Maldon sea salt (to top)
HOW TO 1. Make the filling by combining the almond butter, agave, salt, and vanilla. Stir together well and refrigerate. 2. Now we need to melt those chocolate chips. (You don’t need to temper the chocolate for this, so you won’t need a thermometer.) Heat up some water in a saucepan or a double boiler. 3. Put your chocolate chips in the top of the double boiler or in a metal pan or metal bowl. 4. Rest the chips pan on top of the boiling saucepan. 5. Stir until the chocolate melts. 6. Using a spoon, put one scoop of melted chocolate in each silicone baking cup. Use back of the spoon to spread the chocolate up the sides and bottom of the silicone cup. You should not see any silicone liner. If you do, add a tiny bit more chocolate and spread it around. 7. Chill the chocolate cups in the freezer for at least 5 minutes, or until they harden. (If you’re using the paper liners, pop them into a muffin pan to help them keep their shape.) 8. Take out your chocolate shells and place a large spoonful of the almond butter filling inside. 9. Place one more spoonful of melted chocolate on top and thinly and evenly spread on top. 10. Top cups with a pinch of Malden sea salt. 11. Put them in the freezer or fridge until they set, then carefully pop them out of their liners.
Eat and enjoy. Don’t get too addicted!
By Andrea Ferretti
Andrea Ferretti and Jason Crandell are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com