Sometimes, things are messy. Sometimes you don't let your pie freeze long enough before pictures because you have to get ready for a social event you don't want to go to. Sometimes you get frustrated if things aren't super neat and don't go according to plan. Sometimes you wish you'd given yourself more than one day to fiddle with a recipe before sticking it on the internet, even though it's ok and everyone's raved about it. Sometimes it seems like you're trying to make things difficult.
Sometimes you just get into really bad Saturday funks.
It was a doozy, no doubt. I felt like crap, pretty sure I looked like crap, and consequently, I gave everyone crap.
But the pie? No, this is not crap.
If you've recently been giving crap, stop it, and make this pie. Might I give some helpful hints? I've added them to the recipe below already, but I just want to elaborate a bit.
If you can, use a non-glass pie tin. Or, if you want to get stuck chiseling out your crust like me, go for glass! :P
I don't think I'll add the chocolate chips to the crust next time round, they freeze kinda hard. But if you really want to, grind them up in a food processor or just chop them finely before adding.
Give your pie plenty of time to set up in the freezer before serving (Unless, of course, you want pie pieces like mine. Half-melted and swimming in whipped cream? Okay! Your pie.)
I totally froze the leftovers with whipped cream still on top. It's legal! And frozen whipped cream is dang good.
Making your own ice cream is optional, but I recommend it! It's fun.
I've reduced the amount of whipped cream pictured, since it kind of took over the ice cream.
I highly recommend serving with this hot fudge sauce.
I didn't think the crumbled vanilla wafers added a whole lot to the crust and I prefer a less-messed-with meringue, so I'm leaving those out and sticking in some optional chopped pecans (yum!).
Don't be daunted by the recipe length, the majority of it is the ice cream recipes I included, and making your own ice cream for the recipe is optional. No worries!
So make yourself a peanut butter chocolate swirled pie of healing, and check out all the posts by the other members of Sundays with Joy on Bakeaholic Mama.
Happy Sunday, stay beautiful (and non-funky).
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
Yield: one 9-inch pie
Ingredients for the peanut butter ice cream*:
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 2/3 cups half-and-half
- Pinch of coarse salt
- Dash of vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup mini Reese’s cups, wrappers removed, frozen and chopped
Ingredients for the chocolate ice cream*:
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 3 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients for the crust:
- 1/4 cup egg whites (from 2-3 large eggs)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup finely-chopped pecans (optional)
Ingredients for the filling:
- 1 pint (2 cups) chocolate ice cream
- 1 pint (2 cups) peanut butter ice cream
Ingredients for the topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Coarsely chopped mini Reese’s cups, if desired
- Hot fudge sauce, if desired
*Note: You'll find that these recipes make more ice cream than you'll need for the pie, but who's going to complain about leftovers? Also, it isn't mandatory to make your own ice cream, but I did and thus included the recipes and methods I used. Feel free to try different flavors!
Directions:
To make the peanut butter ice cream, combine all of the ingredients (minus the candy) in a blender or food processor; and puree until completely smooth. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When the mixture is chilled through, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions (The mixture may appear grainy, don't worry, that's just what the peanut butter does. That lessens a bit when you completely freeze it and scoop it.). Transfer the ice cream to a storage container and gently fold in the peanut butter cup pieces until evenly distributed, freeze until ready to use.
To make the chocolate ice cream, in a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder. Warm over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve the cocoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, mix in the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream. Transfer this mixture to a medium-large mixing bowl. Set a fine mesh sieve over the top.
In the same saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt and warm the mixture over medium-high heat. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. When the milk mixture is warm, gradually whisk in a thin stream into the egg yolks, beating constantly. Return the egg-milk mixture to the saucepan and continue heating over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula, until the mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon (reads 170-175° F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from the heat, pour through the mesh sieve into the chocolate-cream mixture and stir to blend. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. (Alternatively to speed chilling, stir the mixture frequently over an ice bath.) Once the mixture is well chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store in an airtight container and freeze until ready to use.
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add salt and gradually add sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff and glossy. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the chopped pecans, if using. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and evenly spread across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, watching carefully towards the end to make sure it doesn't get too brown or possibly burn. Let cool completely.
To make the filling, while the crust is cooling, remove ice cream from the freezer. To soften the ice cream, just before filling the pie, remove the 2 cups of ice cream from its container and place in separate medium bowls. Stir each ice cream with a spatula until soft and pliable. When crust is completely cooled, fill the bottom and sides of the pie crust with chocolate ice cream. Then add the peanut butter ice cream. Cover the pie with foil or plastic wrap and freeze until very firm, overnight is recommended.
To make the topping, when ready to serve pie, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until soft and fluffy. Spread on top of the pie and sprinkle with coarsely chopped Reese's cups. Slice and serve, drizzling each slice with hot fudge sauce.
Sources: inspired by Joy the Baker's Cookbook, who was inspired by the Pioneer Woman. Chocolate ice cream and peanut butter ice cream from Annie's Eats, originally adapted from The Perfect Scoop
