One head's up warning. There is a weird ingredient that will make you think, "No WAY! I am not making this pie." Five unsuspecting guinea pig friends said that this is the best pie they've ever eaten, four of them solidly omnivore and peanut butter chocolate fans. The creaminess in unbelievable, you will never, never, never guess the strange thing is in here. Okay. Disclaimer over.
Crust:
2 Cups salted peanuts
1 1/2 Cups dates (10-12 ounces)
2 TBSP cocoa powder.
Whir this in food processor until everything sticks together and can be shaped into a ball. If it's too powdery add two more dates, too gooey add a few more peanuts or a bit more cocoa powder.
Press this into two tart pans, a 9x13, or a dozen ramekins or approximately 18 silicone cupcake liners. Press into just the bottoms or up the sides. Either way you may end up with leftover crust. If you do, roll it into balls and stick them in your fridge for a treat later. (Tastes a whole lot like the peanut butter coating on a Twin Bing...if you've ever loved those, you'll be wanting to make and eat just the crust).
Filling NOTE: (two parts to this -- you will use half right out of the processor and save half to mix with ganache so don't dump it all in the shells or you'll get cranky and frustrated.)
1 can white beans drained, rinsed and drained (1 2/3 Cup of DIY cooked white beans)
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP arrowroot
1 Cup sugar (I used sugar, agave or maple syrup would work I think, but hold off on the milk until the rest is mixed in, I'm guessing you'll only need to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1 Cup peanut butter
Whir this in the same food processor you already used for the crust, you don't need to wash it. When the consistency of firm pudding use 1/2 of the batter to put over your crust (crusts). Leave the remaining half of the filling in your processor. You'll be adding ganache to it.
Ganache:
2 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup non-dairy milk
In sauce pan or over double boiler heat milk and add chocolate. Stir til chocolate melts.
Take 1/4 Cup of chocolate ganache, add it to the peanut butter mixture in the food processor. Whir. In the meantime take the remaining ganache and pour over the peanut butter layer in your pie/dessert. You could refrigerate at this point and let the ganache firm a bit. But I did not.
After you whir the peanut butter/ganache mixture you are going to plop or pipe (Ziploc bag with a whole in corner) the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the ganache. You can spread it if you want. But you don't have to. I piped in a big spiral for the tart and plopped in the ramekins.
Peanut Butter Caramel
1/4 Cup peanut butter
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup chopped peanuts
Heat peanut butter, sugar and non-dairy milk in saucepan. Stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, still stirring. About at the minute mark the texture will change and it will begin to look and feel like caramel sauce. You want this. Add salt and peanuts and stir well. Pour or dollop this on the peanut butter chocolate layer of your dessert.
Chill at least an hour, three would be even better. The longer you chill the firmer and more fudgelike it gets. So delicious.
