Dessert / Pies: Peanut Butter Truffle Pie

From Shelly Carey

Ingredients
2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (20-22 squares)
2 Tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 ½ cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
¼ cup chopped peanuts
4 oz bar semisweet chocolate (for chocolate curls, optional)

Directions
Combine cookie crumbs, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar and butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and one inch up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Heat 1 cup whipping cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to appear on surface. Do not boil. Pour hot cream over one cup of chocolate chips, stirring until chocolate melts. Let cool slightly. Pour onto the bottom of the crust. Let cool for 2 minutes. Sprinkle ¼ cup chopped peanuts over chocolate. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.

Beat one cup whipping cream, ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 up powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over peanut layer. Refrigerate two hours or until set.

Heat remaining ½ cup whipping cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to appear on surface. Remove from heat and add remaining ½ cup chocolate chips, stirring until chocolate melts. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread evenly over peanut butter layer. Chill one hour or until set. Chill overnight. Garnish with chocolate curls and chopped peanuts, if desired.

Note: To make your own chocolate curls, melt 4 oz bar of chocolate. Spread into a thin even layer on an inverted baking sheet. Refrigerate the pan / chocolate for about 10 minutes until set but not hardened. Holding a metal spatula at a 45 degree angle, scrape chocolate away from you to form curls. Transfer to an airtight container and chill until ready to use.