When I was still a bit younger and learning the ropes in basketball, I would go to my sister’s rec league games on weekends and watch the older kids play. My dad would coach – naturally – and I got to sit in the stands next to my mom who was feverishly – and poorly – filming the action, missing whole segments of the game when she’d get worked up over plays, put down the camera and start yelling at the players and referees. My mom is 5’2″ and weighs a buck ten. She’s pint sized and she means business. It’s hilarious and adorable and terrifying all at the same time. Trust me, I was there. Obviously, these games were the best. Don’t worry, I’m getting to the candy part… Between quarters I’d swindle a few bucks out of my mom and mosey down to the concession stand – one of the main reasons I loved sports at that age. Play a game, get a snow cone. I’m in. My sugar of choice at the time was either Snicker’s or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Snickers were more of a grocery store check out line operation (please mom? please?). But Reese’s? All ball game. There were two, they were salty and sweet, and they achieved the perfect melt in the muggy heat of an old gym filled with sweaty pre-adolescent bodies. Plus, not too much to fill you up so you still have room for nachos and whatnot. I was methodic about my candy even at 6. More bizarre than my selection theory was my method of consumption. I would only take bites when my sister scored a basket or did something “good.” She made a good pass, bite. She made a free-throw, bite. She made a 3-pointer? Two bites. I had my tactics down. This just proves my storied and colorful history with peanut butter cups. But it wasn’t until adulthood that I fell in love with almond butter. Upon trying my first almond butter cup I was hooked. Not necessarily better than peanut butter (don’t get it twisted), but seriously up there. It was only natural to explore flavor combinations, especially since somebody in this house is obsessed with all-things caramel. Besides, I needed an excuse to make another batch of my 4-ingredient bourbon caramel sauce. 6 months without that stuff is 7 months too long if you catch my drift. These cups are pretty straight forward, taking about 15 minutes total to make once you have your caramel sauce ready (add 15 minutes). And though they take a little fancy handwork with tipping, filling and pouring, the effort is undeniably worth it. I mean, look at these things. C’mon. After a quick chill these guys are ready to go straight into your mouth. I reluctantly shared half of this batch with friends so I wouldn’t immediately engulf the entire recipe all by myself. (Trust me, I would so hide these from John all over the house and sneak bites when he wasn’t looking. At least I’m honest.) These are the perfect DIY candies for Valentine’s Day and beyond. They’re: Dark chocolatey Almond buttery Sweet Rich Drenched in caramel Offset with a pinch of salt on top Highly gift-able & Sharable In other words, perfection in cup form. I don’t employ the same consumption methods as I once clung to in my youth. There’s less waiting involved as these cups call for a quick chop in half to let the caramel ooze out, followed by a messy scramble to get in every nibble before the caramel escapes your grasp. It’s like a game – a drippy, delicious candy game. The best kind of game. Enjoy these cups, OK? I mean, there’s no way you possibly wouldn’t. Seriously. It’s science.
