Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
Think of this Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart as a grown up version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Smooth, creamy peanut butter mousse surrounded by a crunchy chocolate crust and a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Be still my heart!
As if the taste wasn’t enough to sell you on this, it’s hard to beat the ease of this recipe. Granted, you will need refrigerator time (I like about 4 hours total), but the beauty is that this tart takes only 30 minutes to make and while it’s firming up in the fridge, you can work on other parts of your spread (dinner, hors’ d’ouevres or whatever).
When making a chocolate cookie crust, I love using Nabisco Chocolate Wafers. You know, that old-fashioned cookie in the yellow sleeve? But, they are sometimes hard to find. One time, I substituted in Brownie Brittle and loved it! That’s what I’ve used in the photograph above. It’s a little larger of a crumb and it worked perfectly with the smooth peanut butter filling.
Mix the crumbs with melted butter and chocolate and spread into a tart pan. Bake this and set it aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the cream cheese with peanut butter, sugar and vanilla. In another large bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the peanut butter mixture until it’s combined. Spoon the peanut butter mousse into the cooled tart crust and refrigerate for an hour.
While the tart is chilling, make the chocolate topping by melting the chocolate with heavy cream in the microwave. Once melted, spread it over the chilled tart, sprinkle the edges with chopped peanuts and chill for at least three hours.
You are now ready to serve up this show-stopping dessert. Be prepared for accolades!
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
Makes: 10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes plus cooling time 4 hours
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Crust:
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 8 oz Brownie Brittle or Nabisco Chocolate Wafers (about 40 cookies from a 9-oz package), finely ground in a food processor to make 2 cups of crumbs
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter (Jif, Skippy, etc)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
For the Topping:
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
Ingredients
Make the Chocolate Crust:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. (If necessary, place the bowl back in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.) Add the brownie brittle or cookie crumbs and stir until evenly combined. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the rim of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (see note below). Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Peanut Butter Filling:
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until well-blended, a few minutes. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed to combine. Add the remaining cream and, using a large rubber spatula, fold until evenly combined. Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate, uncovered, for about 1 hour.
Make the Chocolate Topping:
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted and the cream is hot. Stir until well blended, then let cool to barely warm, stirring occasionally. Spread the chocolate topping over the chilled peanut butter filling and sprinkle the chopped peanuts around the edges of the pie. Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3 more hours.
To serve, carefully remove the rim from the pan by gently pressing upwards on the bottom while holding the rim in place. (If using a springform pan, run a thin knife around the crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring.) Use a sharp knife to cut the pie into wedges. Wipe the knife clean between each cut. Serve chilled.
Make-Ahead Instructions: This pie can be made a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Note: You can find a tart pan with a removable bottom at any kitchen shop or online. However, if you can’t your hands on one, you can also use a 10-inch springform pan and bring the crust about 1 inch up the rim (or for a 9-inch springform pan, bring the crust about 1-½ inches up the rim).
Recipe from Once Upon a Chef
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