Now here is a sweet treat you can really sink your teeth into! Reese's Peanut Butter cups are made with all kinds of mysterious - and potentially dangerous - ingredients like PGPR and TBHQ. What the what?!
General rule of thumb: Beware chemical compound abbreviations on an ingredient list.
PGPR is short for polyglycerol polyricinoleate, an emulsifier derived from castor or soy bean oil and added to your candy bar to reduce the viscosity and cost of chocolate. TBHQ is not only found in candies, but also pet food, cosmetics, lacquers, and varnish, as well as explosives. TBHQ or tertiary butylhydroquinone is a preservative and form of butane with a long list of side effects including nausea and vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and hyperactivity in children, as well as others. Both of these ingredients are added to candies to reduce cost and prolong shelf life.
Try this dairy- and sugar-free treat this holiday season and never look at a Reese's package again. This decadent treat packs heart and gut-nourishing ingredients like unrefined coconut oil (great source of medium-chain fatty acids) and cocoa powder (delicious polyphenol antioxidants).
And, it's easy!
What you will need:
Preheat your oven to 400. Melt 2 tablespoon coconut oil in an oven-safe container, approximately 5 minutes. Add cocoa powder, salt and vanilla bean paste or extract. Stir until evenly mixed.
Line each muffin tin with a paper and put a spoonful of the chocolate mixture in to the dish, just enough to cover the bottom of the paper (don't fill it more than 1/3 of the way full). Place tray in the freezer for a few minutes until hard.
In a small sauce pan, melt peanut butter, remaining coconut oil and sweetener, if using. Once you get a pourable consistency remove from heat.
If the chocolate from the freezer is firm use a spoon to pour in the nut mixture. Be careful not to add too much. Once they are around 2/3 full place back in the freezer. When they are solid add a small layer of "chocolate" on top and freeze again. Once firm they store well in the refrigerator.
Resources:
Wikipedia: Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
Progressive Charleston: Things you probably don't want to know about chocolate
Natural News: TBHQ - Why this preservative should be avoided
General rule of thumb: Beware chemical compound abbreviations on an ingredient list.
PGPR is short for polyglycerol polyricinoleate, an emulsifier derived from castor or soy bean oil and added to your candy bar to reduce the viscosity and cost of chocolate. TBHQ is not only found in candies, but also pet food, cosmetics, lacquers, and varnish, as well as explosives. TBHQ or tertiary butylhydroquinone is a preservative and form of butane with a long list of side effects including nausea and vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and hyperactivity in children, as well as others. Both of these ingredients are added to candies to reduce cost and prolong shelf life.
Try this dairy- and sugar-free treat this holiday season and never look at a Reese's package again. This decadent treat packs heart and gut-nourishing ingredients like unrefined coconut oil (great source of medium-chain fatty acids) and cocoa powder (delicious polyphenol antioxidants).
And, it's easy!
What you will need:
- A small muffin baking tin
- Small muffin papers that fit in the tin
- 4 tablespoons Coconut oil, unrefined
- 2 tablespoons unrefined cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons natural peanut (or other nut) butter
- 1-2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or other natural sweetener
Preheat your oven to 400. Melt 2 tablespoon coconut oil in an oven-safe container, approximately 5 minutes. Add cocoa powder, salt and vanilla bean paste or extract. Stir until evenly mixed.
Line each muffin tin with a paper and put a spoonful of the chocolate mixture in to the dish, just enough to cover the bottom of the paper (don't fill it more than 1/3 of the way full). Place tray in the freezer for a few minutes until hard.
In a small sauce pan, melt peanut butter, remaining coconut oil and sweetener, if using. Once you get a pourable consistency remove from heat.
If the chocolate from the freezer is firm use a spoon to pour in the nut mixture. Be careful not to add too much. Once they are around 2/3 full place back in the freezer. When they are solid add a small layer of "chocolate" on top and freeze again. Once firm they store well in the refrigerator.
Resources:
Wikipedia: Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
Progressive Charleston: Things you probably don't want to know about chocolate
Natural News: TBHQ - Why this preservative should be avoided