Sunday (un)baking project: Chocolate peanut butter cream pie for Mikey

Lately I've been in a bit a whirlwind.  Work, hospital, home... not feeling like I'm doing much of in any quality way.  This is a frustrating way to exist.


It's not often we actually sit back and think about how good we've got it.  Whilst not ungrateful, many including me can focus on the things that you need to 'fix' or 'do' or 'have'.   Sometimes you'll wish for more time, more money, more sleep.   The people in our life we may even wish they were more like us, listened more, or we saw more of them.   I think at one level or another we're all guilty of taking something or someone for granted.

My friend Eden sent me a link to this post when I was in the thick of my whirlwind and I'm not sure if it was accidental because she wanted the pie or wanted to share the message but I'm glad she did both.   This lovely blogger in the US has lost her husband, quite suddenly and has two young daughters.   She asked her readers to think of her and her husband and send their best wishes by making his favourite peanut butter cream pie.    

Now, this isn't usually my kind of thing.  It's awfully sweet but when I started to think about it, I felt compelled to make it.  Make time to make it.  My husband has been at my side, or 'backstage' making sure every other part of my life is working so I can do these things like go to work with clean clothes, go to the hospital whenever I need to by fulfilling a Mum and Dad role, and have dinner waiting for me each night.   He's washed Nanny's clothes, checked her mail and watered her plants when she (and I) couldn't.  

He loves anything peanut butter and the sweeter the better so I not only did I want to make this for Mikey - I wanted to make it for my hubby too - to let him know how much I love and appreciate him.   How I shouldn't take him for granted, like I have been.

It looks wonderful doesn't it?  As I said, it tastes super-sweet (and I omitted the cup of icing sugar in the original recipe too!) but if that's your thing, you have met your mecca.  Thanks Jennifer and Eden xxx

Ingredients:

1 packet chocolate ripple biscuits (250g)

100g butter, melted

125g milk chocolate, melted

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts (add more if you like, I did!)

1 cup cream, whipped until stiff peaks

250g cream cheese

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 tin condensed milk

1 cup icing sugar (I omitted but if you want, use it!)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon juice

choc chips (optional)

Method:

Crush in a food processor or with a rolling pin, your biscuits until they are finely processed.

I could eat it like this with a spoon.  Annnnyway...

Pour in your melted butter and mix well.

Push into the bottom of a greased springform tin and push into the sides about an inch to make a high crust.

Spread your melted chocolate over the base.  My tip is to pour it on as evenly as possible and spread as minimally as you can.

Top with your peanuts and then put in the fridge whilst you prepare the rest.

Whip your cream and set aside.

In an other bowl, whip your cream cheese and peanut butter together.

Add your condensed milk, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice.  Then take off the mixer and fold in your cream 1/3 at a time until it's all combined and mousse -like.

Pour over your base... there's quite a bit of mixture... pour it into the middle and smooth out to the sides.

Give it a 'swirl do' if you like :)

Chill for 3 hours or overnight.  When ready to serve remove springform outer and then separate the bottom of the pie from the springform base by placing a knife in between and working your way around the base.

Decorate with chocolate chips and/or peanuts.

Are you tempted??

So friends, would you make this for Mikey?

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