Fudgy Peanut Butter Pie

I made this dessert for my hubby for Valentine's Day yesterday and thought I'd share it with you all. He said it tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup pie :)

You start with a graham cracker crust. Feel free to make your own. I didn't :)

Next you melt some chocolate and spread it in the crust and up the sides a bit. (ps. I mixed in pb chips with my chocolate, hehe). Then put it in the freezer while we do the rest.

After this you'll mix up some PB, butter, and sugar (don't worry, the recipe is below). After mixing well you'll add some Ricotta and mix some more.

Oh Ricotta, you are a glorious and multifaceted cheese, it is true.

I took the PB/butter/sugar and Ricotta mixture out of the mixing bowl so I could use the mixer for the next step...making whipped cream. It's easier to make whipped cream with a cold bowl so after washing I put it on my porch for a minute.

Twin Brook Creamery is a local creamery that sells their stuff in real glass bottles! So neat-o. Central Market had them on a super duper sale last week so I bought some to try it out.

Uh- wow. This stuff is like butta....you have to say it like that. SO rich and thick.

After the whipped cream is done, gently fold it into the PB and Ricotta mixture from earlier.

Then, spread it into your prepared pie crust.

It shouldn't be perfect....messy is good :)

Then melt some more chocolate, I used Dove pieces, and spread it around like so.

Voila! This thing is dangerous. We topped ours with whipped cream just because we felt like it. To make whipped cream just beat heavy whipping cream or whipping cream til soft peaks form then add in some powdered sugar (mixes up lighter than granulated) til it's your desired sweetness and thickness. I don't care for vanilla in mine.

I couldn't even finish one piece of this beast. Craig might have eaten 2 slices. I can't say. You already know too much.

Ok- here's the recipe with all the details:
Ingredients


1 prepared 8" graham cracker crust

6 oz. milk chocolate chips, melted

Filling:

3 tbsp. butter, room temperature

1½ cups smooth peanut butter

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

¾ cup Precious® Whole Milk or Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract


Directions
Crust:


With rubber spatula, smooth 2/3 of melted chocolate mixture over bottom of crust and up the sides about ½". Save rest for top. Put crust in freezer while making the filling.

Filling:

With electric mixer, mix butter, peanut butter and sugar for 2 minutes at medium speed until smooth. Add ricotta and mix for 1 minute on medium. In separate bowl, whip cream with sugar and vanilla until it holds a soft peak. Gently fold cream into peanut butter mixture making sure to incorporate all of the cream. Spoon filling into prepared shell and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. With fork drizzle remaining melted chocolate chips over top and serve.

Credit due: Precious Ricotta