Peanut butter pie

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Peanut butter pie

Unbelievably, we’re on to Week 41 of the Cookbook Challenge, and the theme this week is: celebration.

I don’t have a specific occasion to celebrate this weekend, but here are some things that I’d like to celebrate:

  • I have a safe place to sleep every night, and food to eat.
  • I have family and friends. I love them, and they love me.
  • I’m healthy, and happy, and grateful for all the good things in my life.
  • I have a stable job, and I’m lucky enough to work with people that I like being around. They eat my baking too!
  • Alastair and I are going on holiday in approximately 3 weeks. HOLIDAY!
  • The days are getting longer, and it’s getting slightly warmer. Summer will be here before we know it.
  • I have peanut butter pie in the fridge.




    • Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favourite combinations (Reese’s peanut butter cups, anyone?) so I have been looking for an excuse to make this peanut butter pie for AGES. And celebration week seemed as good as an excuse as any!

    The pie has a biscuit base (like a cheesecake) and is topped with a layer of peanut butter and cream cheese, and then finished with a thin layer of chocolate ganache. I was expecting something incredibly rich and sweet, so I halved the amount of the peanut butter layer and the chocolate ganache but kept the base the same. It made my pie look more like a slice since the other layers weren’t as thick.

    It turns out that the pie actually isn’t that sweet, though it is rich. My biscuit base was quite crumbly, and I think that I would prefer a shortcrust pastry. Next time! It’s very straight forward to put together, as the only part that needs to be baked is the base. I think it could use a bit more sweetness, but perhaps I’m looking to recreate a peanut butter cup in pie form?! This pie is not quite there, but I reckon I could get it close in the deliciousness stakes with a few more tweaks!

    But it’s not bad, and peanut butter and chocolate in any form is worthwhile of celebration. What about you – is there anything you’d like to celebrate today?

    See previous Cookbook Challenge posts here.

    Peanut butter pie

    Peanut butter pie

    From Maggie’s Kitchen

    Serves 16

    Pie crust
    180g wheatgerm crackers
    90g unsalted butter, melted
    3 teaspoons caster sugar

    Filling
    1 cup pouring cream
    1/3 cup caster sugar
    320g cream cheese, chopped, at room temperature
    375g crunchy salt-free peanut butter

    Topping
    150ml double cream
    150g dark chocolate, chopped
    20g unsalted butter

    Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160°C.

    First, make the pie crust by processing the crackers in a food processor until they are crumbled. Add the melted butter and sugar, and pulse together until combined. Press the crumbs into the base of a 22cm springform cake tin. Bake for 10 minutes and then set aside to cool.

    Make the filling by simmering the cream and sugar over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. In a food processor, blend the cream cheese and peanut butter. Add the cream mixture and pulse to combine. Spoon the filling on top of the pie crust and leave to cool.

    Make the topping by bringing the cream to a boil in a pot over high heat. Put the chocolate and butter into a separate bowl, and pour over the hot cream. Leave it for three minutes and then move the dish around to melt the chocolate and butter.

    Pour the topping over the pie and refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours, or until set.