Chocolate, Salted Peanut Brittle Mousse Pie

I can go on and on about this pie, but it really doesn't need an introduction…the name says it all: Chocolate, Salted Peanut Brittle Mousse Pie.  I have made this for several parties and unfortunately for me there has never been even the tiniest crumb for me to take home to enjoy later.  People go crazy for this thing! The chocolately, buttery crust, the salty, sweet and crunchy peanut brittle layer, the creamy and tangy peanut butter, cream cheese mousse and the rich, decadent chocolate ganache topping all come together in this gorgeous and unbelievably delicious dessert.  This pie is good for any holiday, any party, any season…or any typical Tuesday night. 

 

Chocolate Cookie Crust

Ingredients-

  1. 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

  2. About 30 Chocolate Wafer Cookies (I use Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers in the long yellow box)

 Steps-

1.     Heat the oven to 350°F

2.    Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the cookies become fine crumbs. (if you don’t have a food processor just crush the cookies in a Ziploc using a meat mallet or large spoon.)

3.    Add the melted butter, and continue to process until the crumbs and fully combined with the butter.

4.    Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and, using the bottom of a cup or your fingers, press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

  Salted Peanut Caramel Layer

  1. 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

  2. 1/4 cup honey

  3. 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

  4. 1/3 cup heavy cream

  5. 2 cups chopped, salted dry roasted peanuts

Steps-

  1. . In a small saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the honey and brown sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil, without stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the peanuts until well coated with the mixture.

  2. Place the pie pan with the cookie crust on a large baking sheet.

  3. Scrape the mixture into the pre-baked cookie crust, spreading it as evenly as possible. Continue baking the tart in the preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbly all over. Transfer the tart pan to a wire rack and let the tart cool completely.

*NOTE– The ingredient amounts for the caramel nut layer just about filled my whole tart pan, leaving barely any room for the peanut butter filling and ganache toppings, without serious overflow. I removed about 1/3 of it, and cooked it to about 300F to make crunchy, delicious salted peanut caramel candy to top the tart.  You want the brittle mixture to reach a dark caramel brown color..if it is too light it will be too sticky and will get stuck in your teeth! Hello dental work! ;)  Spread the excess peanut brittle mixture onto an aluminum foil lined sheet pan sprayed with nonstick spray.  Sprinkle it with sea-salt and let it cool completely so you can break it into pieces.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mousse Layer

  1. 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

  2. 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

  3. 6 oz Cream Cheese softened

  4. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 Steps-

  1. In a stand mixture, whisk together the peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Slowly add the confectioners sugar.

  2. When the peanut brittle layer of the tart is cooled spread the peanut butter mousse layer evenly over the top. Make sure you have enough room for the final layer! If you don’t, then do not put all of the peanut butter mousse in.

Chocolate Ganache

  1. 9 ounces bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate (I prefer Ghiardelli bittersweet because the rest of the tart is fairly sweet already), coarsely chopped

  2. 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

  3. 1/2 cup heavy cream

 Steps-

  1. Place the chocolate in a bowl.

  2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream and corn syrup to a gentle boil.

  3. Pour the hot cream/corn syrup over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, and then whisk until smooth.

  4. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter mousse layer and spread evenly with a spatula.

  5. Now place the final touches on your pie! I put little pieces of the extra peanut brittle over the top and sprinkle on some salted peanuts.

 

DessertDanielle SepsyDessertComment