Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Fudge Pie

This is such a great dessert to make.  It's very easy to put together, uses simple every day ingredients and can be made ahead of time.  A day or 2 ahead even!  This fudgy dream is a favourite of all ages and can look incredibly fancy if you want it to.  You don't even need to turn on the oven.  To make it one step easier, just buy the crust from the grocery store and no one will know. 

 

*My pie is made with gluten free crust (for a gluten sensitive person) with cornflakes and cocoa powder. 

  Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Fudge Pie

Chocolate Crumb Crust:

1½ c. Chocolate Oreo crumbs or graham wafers 

⅓ c. melted butter

Chocolate Fudge Filling:

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ c. heavy cream

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Peanut Butter Filling:

1 c. peanut butter smooth or crunchy

½ c. icing sugar

½ c. heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1. For the crust:  Toss Oreo crumbs or graham wafers together with melted butter.  Press into a 9 inch pie plate.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze 10 minutes until fairly firm.
2. Fudge Filling:  Place all ingredients into a small bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir.  Continue microwaving in 10 second intervals and stir until melted and smooth.  Pour a small amount into a small sandwich bag (about ⅛ of a cup).  Set aside.  Pour the rest of the fudge filling onto the chilled crust.  Tilt pie plate to cover the bottom evenly.  Place back in freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Peanut Butter Filling:  Place all ingredients into a mixer.  Beat until smooth.  Spread evenly on fudge filling.  
4. Take the fudge filling that was set aside in the sandwich bag.  Snip a small hole (about and ⅛ of an inch) in one corner.  Spiral the chocolate around the pie.  To make the chevrons, run a knife from one side to the other alternating directions.*
5. Refrigerate till well chilled.  At least 2 hours and up to 2 days ahead.

*Worried the pattern doesn't look nice?  Just shave some chocolate over top.  Voila, easy as pie.

Chocolate Espresso Crunch Bars

It finally cooled down enough that I was able to retest a cookie recipe before I committed to a post.  It is a family favourite (I know, all of them seem to be family favourites but to be fair; I have many family members with different favourites).  This will be yours too if you love coffee, toffee and chocolate in a crunchewy bar.  Bake it a little longer if you prefer a crisper cookie or shorter for a softer chew.

 Chocolate Espresso Crunch Bars

2 c. all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 c. butter, room temperature

1¼ c. packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder

½ tsp. vanilla

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chopped or semisweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in mixer till well blended and uniform.  Add espresso powder and vanilla.  Mix.  
3. Slowly add flour mixture until just mixed.  Stir in chocolate.  This dough will be fairly thick.
4. On an ungreased rimmed baking sheet (I use 10½ x 15½ size) press dough to corners as evenly as possible.*
5. Bake in 325℉ oven for 18 to 24 minutes or until lightly browned and edges begin to crisp.  Turn sheet pan after 10 minutes for more even baking.
6. Let cool or 1 or 2 minutes.  Cut into bars while still warm and then transfer to rack.  Let cool. They will crisp as they cool.

*If you use a larger pan, shape into a square about the right size.  11 x 15 square will take about the same time.  Longer time for crispier bars.