black bottom peanut butter pie

this year i kept the peanut butter and chocolate theme going for jason's birthday with this peanut butter pie. way back in january, when i whipped up baked's sweet and salty cake to celebrate my own birthday, i was torn between that cake and a version of this pie. knowing chocolate and peanut butter is jason's all time favorite combination and that he's not really a fan of cakes and especially sweet buttercream, i shelved the pie until july. which is probably for the best anyway, since the day i made this, it was over ninety degrees out and definitely not a day i wanted to fire up the oven to bake a multi layer cake.

while we both loved the way this turned out, it didn't exactly go as planned. the chocolate layer never quite firmed up into a solid mass, staying pretty thin and oozy. which meant the chocolate oozed into the crust and softened it a bit, which i didn't mind at all. and had the chocolate layer been a thick, rich, fudgy ganache, it would have been way too rich for our blood. so even though it didn't turn out exactly how it should per the original recipe at bon apetit, i wouldn't have changed a thing.

looking for other chocolate peanut butter treats? how about chocolate peanut butter layer cake, double chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, chocolate peanut butter marble cake, chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, or peanut butter swirled chocolate cupcakes.

black bottom peanut butter pie
adapted from bon appetit
makes one 9" pie

7 whole graham crackers
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 2/3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup roughly chopped salted peanuts to garnish (optional)

1. preheat your oven to 350F. crush graham crackers and mix with butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. press mixture in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan. bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
2. while the crust is baking, make the chocolate layer. microwave the chocolate chips, 2/3 cup heavy cream, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a microwave safe bowl. microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is soft and the mixture is combined. spread mixture over the bottom of the cooked crust and freeze ten minutes, or until firm.
3. while the crust is freezing, make the peanut butter layer. microwave the peanut butter chips and 3/4 cup heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl in 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chips are soft and the mixture is combined. whisk in peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. let cool.
4. beat remaining cream (1 1/4 cups) until thick and soft peaks just begin to form. fold almost all of the mixture, leaving about 1/2 cup to garnish the finished pie, into the peanut butter mixture in three additions until smooth. spoon over the chocolate layer. garnish with the remaining whipped cream and salted peanuts. chill at least one hour and cover and store left overs in the refrigerator. 

2012.09.03 this is a fit & spicy life's pick for the secret recipe club!