Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 12 comments » / dessert, pie

This peanut butter pie was originally envisioned for Nathan’s birthday in early March.  But the weekend I was supposed to make it, Elliott was diagnosed with the flu.  So this got pushed to the back burner.

Easter came along at the end of March, and because we were not visiting family in Kentucky this year, Nathan invited our neighbors over for a gathering.  He knocked it out of the park with lamb cooked on the grill, along with lots of grilled veggies.  Our neighbors rounded out the meal with some awesome sides.  One of my contributions to the dinner was this atypical Easter dessert, rich & delicious Peanut Butter Pie.

(Our Easter meal.  All these veggies make me very happy!  Asparagus, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, & fennel!)

This pie is rich and creamy, but it is NOT overly sweet.  That is what I loved about it.  It has the richness so you know that you are indulging, but it doesn’t give you a toothache or tummy ache from the sweetness.  I even cut back on the sugar in the graham cracker crust, because I honestly felt that the graham crackers are sweet enough themselves.

(DO YOU SEE ALL THE PEANUT BUTTER GOODNESS INSIDE OF THERE?!)

Peanut Butter Cream Pie probably isn’t your first thought when it comes to Easter desserts.  Unless you begin to think about the popularity of Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, right?  Well, forget that, because I’ve got a better peanut butter chocolate candy for you to try.  It just so happens that my good friend Beth of Eat.Drink.Smile is the marketing genius for Goo-Goo Clusters.  She is a primary reason Nathan got hooked on Peanut Butter Goo Goos!  (They make 3 varieties of Goo-Goos: original, a supreme made with pecans, and peanut butter.)  So, when I originally envisioned this Peanut Butter Pie for Nathan’s birthday, I knew without a doubt I’d be topping it with one of his favorite candies.  You could certainly top it with Reese’s Cups, chocolate covered peanuts, Reese’e Pieces, or whatever your favorite peanut butter candy is.  Alternatively, you could just leave it be with the drizzle.

(In case you are wondering, I am apparently incapable of drawing straight lines.)

This pie was a big hit!  Nathan even said “We should have not told the neighbors about the pie and just kept it all for us!”  I think he was only half kidding.

(Click “More” for the recipe, and also to see Elliott in his snazzy Easter attire, I PROMISE it is worth clicking over!)

Print

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Yield: one 9 inch pie

This rich and creamy dessert will fulfill any chocolate peanut butter cravings you might be having! I highly suggest topping it with a Peanut Butter Goo-Goo or two!

Ingredients:

CRUST:
6 1/2 ounces graham crackers (12 crackers), finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

TOPPING:
chocolate peanut butter candy of your choice, I used 2 Peanut Butter Goo-Goo Clusters

Directions:

CRUST:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.

Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake until crust is fragrant and edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

FILLING:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and peanut butter in large bowl until smooth. Using clean dry beaters, beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks in another large bowl. Whisk half of whipped cream mixture into peanut butter mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream mixture. Transfer 3 tablespoons filling to small bowl and reserve. Spread remaining filling in crust.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk in reserved 3 tablespoons filling. Immediately transfer chocolate mixture to pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch plain tip. Pipe chocolate mixture onto filled pie, and top with candy of your choice.

Chill until cold. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.) Serve cold.

crust adapted from Martha Stewart, pie adapted from Bon Appetit

Here’s Elliott in his Easter suit & tie: 

And who says you can’t have fun dressing boys?