Baked was one of the first bakeries I tried when we moved to Brooklyn, and it remains a favorite, from their Deep Dark Brownie to their Sweet & Salty Cake. They come up with the best flavor combos, so it’s no surprise that this peanut butter & cream cheese & hot fudge pie was thought up by Baked. For me, making this pie was a no-brainer: Whenever peanut butter and cream cheese come together, it’s a winning combo (like these peanut butter banana cupcakes). Be forewarned, this pie is pretty decadent. Personally, that’s what drew me in, but if you tend to be easily overwhelmed by rich desserts, you may want to try skipping the chocolate layer between the crust and the peanut butter, or halving the recipe and making it in a tart pan. One more thing: I’d recommend sharing this pie with a large group–a little bit goes a long way, so there’s plenty to be shared. Plus, this pie = instant popularity. Like I said, it’s a no-brainer.
Ingredients
Crust
30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 ounces)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Hot Fudge Sauce
6 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Directions
Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sugar. Pour the butter over the mixture and mix until well combined.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Put the crust in the refrigerator.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave or double boiler. Stir in corn syrup. Spread the chocolate in a thin layer on the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Return the crust to the refrigerator.
Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and brown sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
In another bowl, use the mixer to whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture until uniform in color.
Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and freeze for at least 4 hours. Once frozen, the pie can be covered with aluminum foil and kept in the freezer for up to 3 days.
Place both chocolates in a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in corn syrup. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Starting in the center and working out to the edges, whisk the chocolate mixture in a circle until smooth.
Spoon onto pieces of pie before serving.
After sauce is cooled to room temperature, it can be covered tightly and kept in the refrigerator for 3 days. Rewarm sauce in microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until warm.
