Tuesday, March 13, 2012

3.14

3.14

March 14th.

The approximation of pi.

Pi Day.

Pie for Pi Day.

Hooray!

Hubs loves pie, and last month for his birthday, I whipped up a Black Bottom Peanut Butter Pie. It was luscious, and delicious, and everything a birthday dessert should be...minus the cake and frosting.

I couldn't find my pie plate (Did I take a pie to your house and leave it there?), so I attempted to make it in a spring form pan. My advice to you is that if you use a spring form pan, double the crust. I needed the sides of the crust to be taller to hold in the rich and fudgy chocolate layer on the bottom. It wanted to spill out as I topped it with the light, fluffy, and creamy whipped peanut butter mousse.

There were no complaints about the oozing chocolate, though. Why would there be? Doesn't everyone like to lick a little stray sweetness from their fingers? Birthday or Pi Day, Black Bottom Peanut Butter Pie is perfect On My Plate.


8 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Jif...not sure that a natural type would produce the smooth consistency desired.)
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl and stir to combine. 
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust gets slightly browned. 
Allow the crust to cool completely.
Place chopped chocolate, pinch of salt, and corn syrup in a bowl. 
Bring the milk to a boil, immediately remove from the heat, and pour over the chocolate. 
Allow this to sit for 1 minute, then whisk until all of the chocolate has melted.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and whisk constantly over low heat for about 8 minutes. 
The mixture will steam, thicken, and begin to sputter and bubble. 
Continue to whisk and scrape the bottom to prevent burning. 
When the mixture is of pudding consistency, remove from the heat. 
Pour into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill for 3 hours.
Just before assembly, whisk peanut butter and confectioner's sugar together until the mixture is thick and glossy. 
Whisk about 1/3 of the chilled whipped cream into the mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining 2/3, taking care not to deflate it. 
Spread the chilled chocolate layer evenly over the bottom of the pie shell, then pour the mousse evenly over that. 
If desired, top with additional whipped cream, chocolate syrup, nuts, or chocolate chips.

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