Peanut Butter Pie

by Ben Mims, featured in Sweet & Southern

Published by Rizzoli

Introduction

My mom used to make this pie all the time for picnics when I was growing up. Hers consisted mostly of vanilla pudding and whipped cream, with only a small amount of peanut butter stirred into confectioners’ sugar. It still tasted like heaven, but when I made my version, I wanted to showcase the peanut butter itself, so I use brown sugar to add even more warm, nutty butterscotch flavor.

As featured in

Sweet & Southern

Ingredients

Makes: one 9-inch pie

For the base

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
¼ cup ice-cold water

For the filling

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup packed soft light brown sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Method

Peanut Butter Pie is a guest recipe by Ben Mims so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, then add the butter. Using your fingers, pinch the butter pieces into the flour until they form small pebbles. Make a well in the centre of the flour and butter mixture and pour the ice water into it. Using a fork, bring the edges of the wall over the water and, spinning the bowl as you go, stir from the outside, constantly flinging flour from the outside wall into the center until all the flour is evenly moistened.
Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and push and knead it until the dough just begins to stick together. Form into a rough mound, then shape into a disk about 1 inch thick. If there are any cracks at the edge of the disk, press and smooth them out. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 425°F.
Roll the dough out to a round ¼ inch thick and line a 9-inch pie pan with it, trimming the edges. Prick all over with the tines of a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and continue to cook until golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Let cool completely.
In a bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and ½ cup of the peanut butter with a fork until it forms crumbles (you’ll see what I mean when it gets there); reserve ½ cup of the crumbles and refrigerate until ready to use. Spread the remaining crumbles in the bottom of the cooled crust. In a medium-size saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then add the egg yolks, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the custard, whisking constantly, until it thickens to the consistency of loose pudding, then continue to cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining ½ cup peanut butter until smooth. Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Pour the custard over the crumbles in the pie shell and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until well chilled and set, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, the cream, and granulated sugar until stiff peaks form, then spread evenly over the pie, creating peaks and valleys in the cream with your spatula. Sprinkle the reserved crumbles on top of the whipped cream, letting them fall into the valleys. Serve chilled.