Nothing tastes better together than chocolate and peanuts. It’s one of my favorite combinations.
There are others like my mom, however, who don’t care for peanuts. One time she got sick after eating a bunch of peanuts while waiting up for my dad who worked the night shift at a piston ring manufacturer. So, she couldn’t look at peanuts, or even peanut butter, after that.
But, if, like me, you’re a fan of the chocolate-peanut combination, this pie recipe gives you the best of both worlds. What sets it apart is the peanut butter sauce you pour over it. And, if you really want a rich, pretty dessert, add a dollop of whipped topping and additional chopped peanuts on each serving.
The pie is rich and decadent, but doesn’t cost too much to make since peanuts are still relatively inexpensive compared to other nuts on the market today.
Although the recipe was recommended for a “Valentine Sweetheart Surprise” in the small cookbook I picked up at a yard sale, once you try it, you’ll find plenty of other occasions to make it throughout the year. And, the “chocoholics” in your family certainly will thank you for it.
FUDGE PIE WITH PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE
1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped, unsalted peanuts
Peanut Butter Sauce:
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
Optional toppings:
Frozen whipped topping, thawed
Toasted, chopped peanuts
For the pie, combine chocolate wafer crumbs and 1/3 cup melted butter; press mixture firmly in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes.
Beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Add flour; beat at low until blended. Stir in 3/4 cup peanuts.
Pour chocolate mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.
For the peanut butter sauce, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Stir in peanut butter and whipping cream, and cook 2 minutes.
Gradually add one-fourth of hot mixture to egg, stirring constantly. Add to remaining hot mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until mixture reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Let cool.
Serve sauce over pie and, if desired, top each serving with whipped topping and additional chopped peanuts.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature.
Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
