Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! Oh My!

Seeing as this is the eve of the Royal Wedding, I suppose my post should be about that.  But it's not.  However, I will be among the millions waking before the crack of dawn to watch Will and Kate tie the knot, and more importantly all of my questions about "the dress"  will be answered.  I'm a sucker for weddings, and seeing as I'm sacrificing a few hours of sleep to watch this spectacle, it better be amazing! 

The "wedding" isn't the only big event this week.  It was also my birthday.  You may recall how my mom made me the most amazing Orange Chiffon Cake on Sunday for the family celebration.  THAT was a cake.  For festivities on my actual birthday, I decided to make a chocolate peanut butter pie.  You know the rule right?  That all calories count for nothing on your birthday, so go ahead and dig into whatever catches your fancy.  That's my rule, anyway.  And I like it!

A few friends gathered, and we went out for some Korean food.  (A review will follow in a week or so.) With our belly's full of bulgogi and bibambab we retired back to my house for another bottle of wine, and this amazing chocolate peanut butter pie.  My sister was in town visiting, and she managed a short escape from her wee ones, just in time for wine and pie!  We talked about mothers, and crying at concerts, and whether I should I go to my 20th High School Reunion.  Good times.  Last night was one of those nights you want to savour every second of.  It was a really really good birthday. 

Now about the pie.  I used to make CPBP lots when I worked in Edmonton, but do you think I could find the recipe in the vortex of my recipe cupboard?  Hells no.  Some online investigating turned up a quite similar recipe from Martha Stewart.  And it's really good....but I would change a few things (I know, I just called Martha out on a recipe!  How dare I?)  I would add more peanut butter.  We agreed that it needed more peanut butter punch.  And I would have a ganache topping instead of a chocolate and peanut butter drizzle like she calls for.  Why drizzle when you can ganache?  The method is incredibly simple, and I love how you can make it ahead and keep in the freezer.  Just be sure to allow time for it to thaw so you can cut it.  Yes, my birthday pie rocked.  So good I'd even offer a slice to William and Kate if they ever wanted to visit. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:
1 3/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (Oreo)
6 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp brown sugar
dash of salt

Filling:
6 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter (not the natural or crunchy king).  I would increase this by 1/2 cup if I were to make it again. 
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 ounces semi sweet or dark chocolate chopped


To make the crust:  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Combine crust ingredients in a bowl, and press into a 9 inch glass pie plate.  Bake for 9 minutes.  Remove and cool completely. 

Filling: In a mixer, beat 2 cups of the heavy cream until thick.  Remove to a bowl and set aside. Using a mixer, cream the cream cheese and icing sugar.  Add the salt and peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well.
Gently fold in one third of the whipped cream.  Fold in the remaining two thirds, very gently until no white streaks remain. Smooth into the cool pie shell.  Freeze for one hour.   

Ganache:  Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream until boiling.  Pour over the chopped chocolate.  Stir well until completely smooth.  Spread onto the pie.  Freeze again, for at least 3 hours, or overnight.  If leaving overnight, thaw a few hours before cutting.  This is rich stuff and a little goes a long way.  Serve 10-12.  Adapted from Martha Stewart Living.