The universe works in strange ways.

In order to illustrate this thesis, I must tell you a story.

I’ve been searching for white chocolate Reese’s out here in California ever since I first discovered my caffeine allergy. Although I never had a problem finding them on the east coast, for whatever reason these guys are all but impossible to come across in LA. I’ve scoured grocery store checkout lines and gas station candy displays. I’ve even gone so far as to visit Reese’s website and look up stores that carried these white chocolate gems.

Vons was listed as a carrier, so I wasted no time dragging Andy along on a trip in hopes of buying out their entire stock. When I couldn’t find any in the store,  Andy asked a cashier whether they had any. Said cashier proceeded to look at her as though she had just given birth to a raccoon.

Needless to say, I was crestfallen. That is, until I had a spontaneous revelation that it was hardly worth the trouble to drive all over town looking for these fabled Reese’s when I could just as easily make some myself. Some white chocolate, some peanut butter, some sugar… how hard could it be?

So here’s where the universe comes in.

Yesterday Andy and I made a pilgrimage to Studio City to get haircuts. We arrived a bit early, so we decided to take a walk around the block to kill some time. She had brought a Mexican Coke along in the car with her, but since it was in a traditional glass bottle, she had no way to get the cap off. We ended up popping into a package store to buy a bottle opener.

As we headed out, my eyes fell upon the rack of candy by the door. I began my usual white Reese’s scan — old habits and all that — and, lo and behold, my eyes fell upon a familiar white-and-orange package. I let out a squeal.

Yes, that random package store in Studio City was stocking white chocolate Reese’s.

I didn’t buy out the entire stock, now that I knew I could make my own. But I did seem to make the cashier very happy. Perhaps my theretofore fruitless search for white Reese’s was all a plot on the part of the universe to make that cashier’s day.

Well, his Reese’s made my day. It was the least I could do.

ingredients

1 12oz pkg white chocolate chips or 12oz baker’s white chocolate
1/2 c peanut butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt

directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and salt. Stir to form a thick, doughy paste.
2. Melt your white chocolate, either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and drop a spoonful of melted chocolate into each cup. You may have to give the pan a little shake so the chocolate spreads and covers the entire bottom of the liner.
3. Scoop the peanut butter mixture by rounded teaspoons and roll into balls. Flatten the peanut butter balls to form little patties, then place them in the cupcake liners on top of the chocolate.
4. Cover the peanut butter with another spoonful of melted white chocolate. Use the back of the spoon to spread it around and completely cover the peanut butter.
5. Chill in the refrigerator until solid. If your house is anything like my apartment, you’ll want to store these in the fridge as well, so they won’t get too gooey at room temperature.