A peanut butter chocolate mousse pie and a comeback post!

  We all call him DD,the star of our school group.  One and a half years back we all school friends who were miles apart from each other are back together in a whatsapp group and the camaraderie and bonding we share with each other is incredible.Not a single day goes by when we all don't chat with each other sharing our joys and sorrows.Its like as if we all are back in the same old  classroom ...the faces which come to my mind are those teenage faces with the school uniform on...the classroom chatter goes on the whole day...and all credit goes to our star DD who took initiative of getting all the phone nos and binding us back into one crazy bunch after years of  staying apart and not knowing about each other's whereabouts. It's strange how we all manage to take out a little time for each other every single day from our fast paced lives sharing our work routine,spouse management,milestones of our next generation, jokes and some major leg pulling, the nitty gritties of everyday life and kitchen stories too. At the end of a tiring day just  two lines with them....it's like a stress-buster.

And when DD called up to announce his arrival in Goa with family,I took the opportunity to host a dinner for the star himself .It had to be special because DD is special  and every friend would vouch for it.Desserts are his weakness and I still remember the way his eyes lit up when he saw the platter.This decadent ,creamy,chocolaty pie was in my to do list since ages but the calorie measuring streak in me was not allowing me to make it.And this occasion was a perfect excuse to create the chocolate wonder. The pie crust is of chocolate biscuits, the second layer is peanut butter mousse, the third layer is chocolate mousse and finally a glaze of chocolate ganache.

This is a comeback post after a long hiatus ,enjoying the feeling of blogging again.Thanks to all who coaxed me back into the blogging world .

.For the chocolate pie crust:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used Oreos, with the filling scraped out)
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For The Peanut Butter Mousse: 

• 2.5 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

For the chocolate Mouse:

• 2.5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 oz. milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp whole milk 
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Glaze:

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract  

To make the chocolate pie crust:   In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Stir until well combined. Pat the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Refrigerate the crust while you make the peanut butter mousse. 

To Make The Peanut Butter Mousse:   In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add the peanut butter and salt and mix until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set bowl aside while whipping the cream.

In a large clean bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost blended. Fold in another 3/4 cup of the whipped cream until completely blended and no white streaks appear. 

Scrape the peanut butter mousse into the prepared pie pan and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate mousse. Cover the remaining whipped cream and refrigerate ready to use. 

To Make The Chocolate Mousse: Place both chocolates in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave the chocolate in the food processor. 

In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. With the food processor running, pour the hot milk through the feed tube, and process until the chocolate is completely melted. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract, and process until well blended. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/4 of the reserved whipped cream into the mousse. Fold in the remaining cream until completely blended. Scrape the mousse onto the peanut butter mousse layer and smooth the top using an offset spatula. Refrigerate the pie while making the chocolate glaze

To Make The Chocolate Glaze: Place finely chopped chocolate into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil.  Pour cream over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Add the vanilla, then gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the glaze is smooth. Do not over mix or you'll incorporate air bubbles. Let the mixture cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before using. 

Pour the cooled glaze over the chocolate mousse layer. Using a small metal spatula, spread the glaze evenly over the top of the pie. Sprinkle the top with peanuts if desired, for garnish, before the glaze sets. 

Chill the pie for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Loosely cover pie and store any leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This recipe has been adapted from the book Lick the bowl good by Monica Holland.