Chocolate Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Topping

Chocolate Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Topping

This Chocolate Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Topping pairs two favorite flavors, and the silky layers deliver that delicious combo by the forkful.

Chocolate Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Topping
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
  • Basic Pie Crust (recipe follows)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2½ cups milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 2 (4-ounce) bars semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Peanut Butter Topping (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: chocolate curls
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Prick bottom of prepared Basic Pie Crust with a fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let crust cool completely.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and next 3 ingredients. In a medium
 bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks until smooth. Add milk mixture to sugar mixture, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat, and whisk in chocolate and butter until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust. Cover pie with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface of pie to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Spread Peanut Butter Topping over chocolate mixture. Chill, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

 
Basic Pie Crust
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust
Ingredients
  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons cold all-vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ cup ice water
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
  2. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork just until mixture comes together and starts to form a ball. (You may not need to use the full ½ cup of water.)
  3. On a lightly floured surface, knead mixture until it forms a smooth dough. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour or until firm.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 13-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough from edges, and decorate as desired.

 
Peanut Butter Topping
 
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 (¼-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat cream at medium speed with a mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
  2. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and 2 tablespoons cold water; let stand for 2 minutes or until gelatin has softened. Add ¼ cup boiling water, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
  3. With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add gelatin mixture to cream mixture. (Mixture will look like it is melting, but it will set up again.)
  4. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place peanut butter. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, stirring until melted and smooth. Whisk into cream mixture until combined. Use immediately.

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