We used to make peanut butter balls every year. And every year as the nicely rolled peanut butter balls would crumble into the chocolate dip, we would scream and yell at each other about how we were never making them again. But everyone loves chocolate and peanut butter, so we didn't think we could get away with just taking them off the list without replacing them with something equally tasty.
So a few years ago, I found this Hershey's recipe for chocolate fluted kiss cups. Hershey's to the rescue! When all is said and done, these aren't much easier than peanut butter balls, but they are a lot less frustrating, and maybe a little less time-consuming.
Chocolate Fluted Kiss Cups (Hershey's Kitchens)
Ingredients
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
Peanut butter filling (recipe follows)
24 Hershey’s Kisses
Peanut butter filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
Preparation
Line small muffin cups with small paper baking cups.
Place chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at high an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. With small brush, coat inside of paper cups with melted chocolate.
Refrigerate 20 minutes; coat any thin spots. Refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight. Gently peel paper from chocolate cups.
Prepare peanut butter filling; spoon into chocolate cups. Cover; refrigerate before serving. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Before serving, top each cup with chocolate piece.
Peanut butter filling
Beat peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter in small bowl until smooth.
Notes: I find that using the back of a small spoon to coat the paper cups works much better than a brush. I also try to find festive mini cupcake wrappers so I can just leave the wrappers on, rather than risk breaking all of the candies by unwrapping.
I don't see any need for refrigerating the cups after putting the filling in and then putting the kisses on. Fill, adorn with kisses, then refrigerate. Then if they're going on cookie platters to be eaten later, it doesn't matter how cold they are. If you plan on serving them, take them out of the fridge for a little while before so they can soften a bit.
Lastly, don't be afraid to coat thickly with the chocolate.