Black Bottom Peanut Butter Pie

I'm that person. I'm that annoying person who goes to a nice restaurant, has an elegant meal topped off with divine dessert and promptly declares, "I can make that." And "make that" is exactly what I have done. I have researched recipes near and far, tried and combined several methods to create my version of the Springfield Grille's Peanut Butter Pie bar; a personal-size pie made with an oatmeal cookie crust layered with a semisweet, chocolate ganache and topped with a light and creamy peanut butter pie filling. Is there anything else you could possibly need in life other than this black bottom peanut butter pie? A fork. You also need a fork. And restraint. Restraint to not eat all twelve mini pies in one sitting. Also, I learned a few things when making this recipe that I would like to share with you:

1. One, big pie or twelve, small pies: it's all the same. My directions below will teach you how to make twelve small pies, but you can easily adapt the recipe to make one, traditional-size pie. All you have to do is bake the cookie crust for 13-15 minutes in a standard size pie pan instead of 7-9 minutes as suggested for the small pies. All other ingredient amounts and processes are the same as directed. It's that easy!

2. Microwaving ingredients in short intervals is key. My directions also suggest that you use a microwave rather than a stove top method to make the ganache and the peanut butter filling. While the microwave allows you to breeze through these layers, it is easy to scorch the ingredients in the microwave. I recommend you heat the ingredients in 30 second intervals, stirring the ingredients between each interval. It took about 2-3 rounds in my microwave for the ganache and only 2 rounds for the peanut butter to melt perfectly.

3. Keep that heavy whipping cream really cold. One of the reasons I think the peanut butter pie filling is so light and airy is the addition of homemade whipped cream. Since the peanut butter filling is still slightly warm after you've made the whipped cream, I highly recommend that you use really cold heavy whipping cream so that it stays cold when whipped and folded into the peanut butter filling.

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Black Bottom Peanut Butter Pie

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter

Ganache Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoon corn syrup

Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Yield: 12 mini pies Prep Time: 45 minutes Bake Time: 7-9 minutes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven for 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine the oats, flour, sugar and salt.

3. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter until the mixture is crumbly. OR Using a food processor, pulse the butter and oat mixture together until the mixture is crumbly.

4. Using a lined, muffin tin, evenly distribute the oat mixture into 12 cups. Lightly press the mixture down into the cups evenly, too. Bake in your preheated oven for 7-9 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned around the edges. Remove the crust from the oven and let cool in the muffin tins on a cooling rack.

5. Meanwhile, combine 1 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 2/3 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoon corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.

6. Microwave on high heat the ingredients in 30 second intervals until the chocolate softens (about 1 1/2 minutes). Stir ingredients in between each interval. Once melted, whisk until smooth. Distribute and spread ganache mixture evenly over the bottom of each crust. Freeze for 10-15 minutes.

7. In another microwave-safe bowl, heat on high the peanut butter chips and 3/4 cup cream in 30 second intervals until the chips soften (about 1 minute). Stir ingredients in between each interval. Once melted, whisk peanut butter and vanilla with the peanut butter chip mixture until smooth. Set aside until lukewarm.

8. Meanwhile, beat remaining 1 cup cream with 2 tablespoon sugar in a bowl until very thick but not yet holding firm peaks; fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture in 3 stages.

9. Distribute and spoon peanut butter pie filling over the chocolate layer in each cup evenly.

10. Chill at least one hour or even up to one day. Enjoy!

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