If you’re looking for a do-ahead, totally delicious nibble when you just gotta have a “little something” really sweet–oh, baby, this is for you! Smooth, rich, textural, luscious–everything you’d expect from a chocolate truffle PLUS it’s got the added taste of peanut butter! Although keeping them in the refrigerator will protect them, longevity-wise, you should take some out early in the day you plan to eat them (or when you want to give some as a gift, so they soften. When shaping, although it’s tempting to make them perfectly round–it’s much more whimsical (and sexier looking) when they are allowed to be a bit irregularly shaped–so they resemble a real truffle that was just pulled from the earth!
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Heat the cream with the peanut butter in a 1-quart heavy bottomed saucepan. Use a whisk to break up peanut butter so it melts evenly and becomes homogeneous with the cream. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When the chocolate is melted and the peanut butter mixture is smooth, combine both, first using a sturdy rubber spatula, then with a wooden spoon and, finally, with a whisk. Force through a medium-mesh sieve into another bowl, using the rubber spatula. Stir in vanilla. Let cool, then cover and chill 3 to 4 hours (or overnight).
Whisk powdered sugar and cocoa together, then sift into another bowl to combine thoroughly. Grind chocolate wafer cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Place into a bowl. Add peanuts to the work bowl and pulse to grind the nuts small, allowing them retain a bit of their texture. Line a large baking sheet or tray with wax paper or 30 to 50 1-inch paper candy cups (yield will depend on the size of your scoop used to shape truffle).
If very chilled, let mixture sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften slightly (or stick in the microwave for 30 seconds). Scoop or spoon out small portions of the chilled truffle mixture and place a few into the bowls of toppings. (If desired, after scooping, push one or two “Goobers” through the side, into center of the mixture.) Roll half the amount of the truffles in the cocoa mixture and the ground cookie/nut mixture, allowing them to retain a slightly irregular shape. Place in candy cups. Continue scooping and coating the remaining truffles.
Place in a decorative tin or gift box, separated by sheets of wax paper or decorative foil. Keep chilled to maintain best flavor but allow truffles to come to room temperature, to enjoy best texture.