Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

It was my husband's birthday yesterday. So I made his favorite dessert, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.

I acquired this recipe years ago when I worked at The Bistro in Cannon Beach. It is a fairly easy recipe, there are basically 3 steps.

The crust is chocolate cookie crumbs and butter. You can use a chocolate sandwich cookie (think OREO), or a chocolate wafer. I think you can also find premade cookie crumbs in the store. Use your food processor to make the crumbs and a microwave to melt the butter. Mix them together and press them into the pan. I prefer to use a spring form pan because of how it looks, but also because it makes it easier to cut and plate. If you don't have one, you can use a pie pan. Place it into the freezer to set.

For the filling, you cream together peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and melted butter. Then you fold in whipped cream. Take a spatula and literally fold the filling from the bottom of the bowl to the top until combined.

Spread filling onto the crust and place back into the freezer while you make the chocolate topping.

This topping is similar to a ganache, using sour cream. I have found it comes together easiest if you melt the chocolate and sour cream together in the bowl. Once I tried adding hot melted chocolate to cold sour cream and the chocolate stiffened up and wouldn't melt again.



Use a microwave, or it can be done in a double boiler on the stove. Once the chocolate has melted and is all stirred together, wait until it has cooled a bit and spread on top of the peanut butter filling and place back into the freezer to set.

After it has set, you can store it in the fridge or freezer. If you do keep it frozen, bring it out about 20 minutes to thaw a bit before you eat it.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

crust:
2 1/2 c chocolate cookie crumbs
4 oz melted unsalted butter

filling:
8 oz cream cheese
1 c natural peanut butter, preferably freshly ground
1 c sugar
2 oz melted unsalted butter
1 T vanilla
1 c heavy cream, whipped

topping:
7 oz semi sweet or dark chocolate
1 c sour cream

Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together and press into bottom of pan. Place in freezer to set. Whip cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, cream together cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar. Add melted butter and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Pour onto crust and spread flat. Place in freezer to set. Place chocolate and sour cream into a bowl and either microwave or place over a pot of hot water to melt. Don't let it get too hot, stir until chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature and then spread over the filling. Place back into freezer to set. Enjoy!