Peanut Butter Pie Recipe & Video

There are many different recipes for a Peanut Butter Pie. This recipe is one I adapted from Richard Sax's Classic Home Desserts. I like it because it has a chocolate ganache topping, which many recipes do not include, and I also like how he reduces the amount of heavy cream in the peanut butter filling from the usual 1 cup (240 ml) to 1/2 cup (120 ml). I find that 1/2 cup cream lightens the filling yet it does not dilute the rich peanut butter flavor. Now, this Peanut Butter Pie has a chocolate cookie crumb crust. You can use either chocolate wafer cookies or Oreo Cookies that have been processed in your food processor until finely ground. To the crumbs add a little melted butter and sugar, press the crumbs into a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan (or you can use a 9 inch spring form pan) and bake in a moderate oven until set. While the crust cools, mix the filling ingredients together. First, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until soft and creamy and then beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. (Try to use "pure" vanilla extract, not the "imitation", as they are made with synthetic vanilla and can leave a bitter after taste). Then, in a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream (cream that contains 36-40% butterfat) until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate until firm. The next step is to cover the peanut butter filling with a chocolate Ganache. Ganache is a creamy smooth mixture of cream, butter, and semi sweet chocolate (can use milk chocolate) that is made by simply melting the chocolate with the butter and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Once you spread the Ganache over the chilled Peanut Butter Pie, the final step is a sprinkling of chopped salted peanuts. This Peanut Butter Pie will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, although it never lasts that long in my home. Serve in small slices.