I finally give it up for my first post!

I make this peanut butter pie and I've always refused to share the recipe.  I first made the pie back in 2004 when I was a personal chef at an assisted living community.  It was a big hit with the little old folks.  I made the pie frequently when I was the summer chef at a dude ranch, and then again when I was a pastry chef on a train.  There is just something about this pie that causes people to go ape shit, in a good way.  It could be the fact that it contains chocolate and peanut butter, which go together like, well, chocolate and peanut butter.  I don't mean to brag, but the people love this pie.  Many have asked for the recipe and I have always refused to give up the goods because a woman has to have some secrets, ya know!!  So, I figure for the inaugural pie on my blog, it's only fitting that I finally give it up.  This recipe has never even been written down before today, or even measured for that matter!  So consider yourselves lucky, folks.

First, a note about my photos.  They suck.  Spare the comments, I know they suck.  I have no natural light in my kitchen and I don't really know how to use my camera.  And I'm extremely impatient and really wanted to get the pie up on the blog so I didn't take the time to carefully research, practice and plan.  Deal with it.  I'll get better, I promise.

Elisa's Practically Famous Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

I use a 9.5" glass pie pan

CRUST

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 Tb. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

FILLING

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided usage

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream

TOPPING

4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Additional sweetened whipped cream, optional

Combine all the crust ingredients and mix well.

                                        

Firmly press the crumbs into a pie pan.  I use a measuring cup.

                                     

Bake the crust for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

                                           

While your crust is cooling, make the filling and chocolate ganache topping.

Add the peanut butter and cream cheese in your mixer bowl.
Mix on medium speed until well combined.

Once combined, add 3 cups powdered sugar and the vanilla.
Turn the mixer on/off slowly so as not to create a cloud of sugar.

When the mixture is done it will look like cookie dough.
Scrape this into another bowl and clean out your mixer bowl so you can
whip the cream to stiff peaks with the remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

Fold/smash/stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture.
Fold in the remaining cream and try to be semi-gentle with it
so as not to deflate the mixture.  Don't worry if you have some streaks.

To make the topping, add your chocolate and cream to a bowl over a pot
of simmering water.  When the chocolate is melted, whisk well to combine.

Add your filling to the cooled pie crust and smooth the top.

Decorate the top with the chocolate.  I used a squeeze bottle and
you can see where air bubbles caused it to splatter all over.
I call that a "homey touch."  Decorate with whipped cream if you like.

This is a very rich pie and I recommend cutting it into 8 to 12 slices.  Sit back and wait for the swooning!  You're welcome.