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New Year, new travel same old empty wallet? By getting a bit nifty at home you’ll be able to easily start saving the pennies and hopefully turning them into the big dollars you’ll need to get travelling. This recipe request has come from the wonderful Kate from Second-Hand Hedgehog. Kate has written a lovely piece on her top 10 tips: Saving for the Big Trip.  

As a fellow latte lover and peanut butter cup devourer I felt Kate’s pain. I love both these sweet treats and whilst trying to save up the coin for our travel it can all become a bit of a balancing act. With the average latte in Melbourne costing $4 and Reese’s peanut butter cups $2.95 I had to make some life changes. By making my latte at home, rather than buy the 6 a week, I have the potential to save an additional $80 a month (this figure allows for the purchase of good quality coffee beans, milk and other ingredients).

So here is my recipe for home made peanut butter cups. These will keep your hands busy and your wallet a bit heavier. These can also be made easily in a hostel kitchenette. Don’t worry if you don’t have a muffin tin. The paper cupcake pans will easily hold the shape.

Honeybird Peanut-Butter Delights

Ingredients:

• 16 oz chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp butter, softened (if you don’t have butter and are making these on the move then just add more peanut butter)
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• 1.75 oz confectioner’s sugar (1/4 cup+2 tbsp), sifted

I always buy the mini-cupcake patty pans. That way you’re making even more delicious treats.

1. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
2. Melt half the chocolate
3. Distribute the melted chocolate into the 12 muffin tins (I use a cookie scoop to portion the chocolate), only barely filling the bottom of each cup. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. If you have teeny tiny freezer space, then use the fridge.
4. In the meantime, whip the peanut butter, vanilla essence, butter, and confectioner’s sugar together. Taste it and make sure the sweetness is to your liking. Place small tablespoons of peanut butter into each cup, then drop the pan repeatedly on the counter again, so the peanut butter layer is flattened out. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
5. Melt the remaining half of chocolate, and portion small spoonfuls of chocolate into the cups. One cup at a time, immediately dropping the pan repeatedly on the counter to flatten each cup.
6. Place the peanut butter cups in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the top layer of chocolate.

Now peel the wrapper off, and enjoy!

Photo curtosey of Fifteenspatulas

What’s your unique money saving tip or trick?