Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie {Snow Day}

For the second time in a week, we're holed in because of snow.  We got about 9 inches on top of what was left over from last Thursday--in some parts of the yard, it comes up to my knees!


Anyway, since I just happened to have peanut butter, chocolate, heavy cream, and a pie crust lying around (all essentials during a winter storm, bread and milk be damned), I decided I needed to make a pie. Yes, it was a need. Don't question it.  Shoveling snow is hard work, and since I've done plenty of it lately, I need sustenance in the form of decadent dessert.  I might waste away otherwise.

EAT ME!
I was inspired by a recent diddle in Saveur Magazine that highlighted a pie made in Topeka, KS.  I made some changes, though, based on what I had on hand.  This is not a one step pie, but the labor was worth it to me.



Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
adapted  from Saveur Magazine

1 frozen pie crust
2 cups heavy cream
Sugar to taste (start with 2 T)
4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter*
8 oz chocolate, chopped finely**
1 cup brown sugar***
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk or cream
2 T butter, cubed

1. Bake pie crust as directed on package.  Let it cool.
2. Whip together 2 cups heavy cream, sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
3. Put peanut butter and chocolate into separate large bowls.
4. Bring sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs, and milk to a simmer in a saucepan (whisking).  Cook until it's thickened into a custard.  Take off the heat and add the butter and remaining vanilla. Stir until the butter is melted.
5. Run the custard through a sieve and divide it equally between peanut butter and chocolate bowls.  Stir each mixture until smooth.  Add half the whipped cream to the peanut butter and fold in.  
6. Put the peanut butter mousse into the pie crust.  Chill for half an hour.  Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter, and chill an hour.  Top with whipped cream.  Eat the whole thing in one sitting.

*The recipe calls for creamy PB.  I used crunchy that was unsweetened, so I did add a little sugar to mine.
**Semisweet would be best, but I used about half semisweet and half white chocolate because that's what I had.
***I didn't have quite enough brown sugar, so I added some white sugar.  Don't fuss too much about perfection.

Dig in.



3 comments:

  1. Well, you did have to eat! And if you'd added a layer of steamed spinach it would have had all the major food groups - not bad for a dessert. Chocolate and peanut butter are best friends, and it looks delicious!

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