Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This is a very rich, decadent dessert. Pretty low on sugar for low carbers. The cook time includes refrigeration. Actual standing by the stove is closer to a half hour.

• Ready In: 6 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 -2  cup  almonds, finely ground
• 2 -4  tablespoons butter

• Peanut Butter Layer

• 1 1⁄2 cups peanut butter, unsweetened
• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup maple syrup

• Chocolate Layer

• 2  cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 1⁄2 cups dark chocolate, chopped
• 8  egg yolks

• Topping

• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons  cacao, nibs

Directions

1. For the crust, melt butter and mix with almond meal. You need enough to cover the bottom of your pan. This is gorgeous in a spring form. I add melted butter and almond meal back and forth until I have enough to cover it. You want the meal to stick together easily and press into shape, without being overly wet.
2. Bake at 350 until it begins to brown, about 20 minutes in Colorado. Please let me know if it's a lot faster at sea level! Let cool completely.
3. For the peanut butter layer, soften the butter to room temperature. Beat all ingredients together. Pour over the crust and spread even. Refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
4. For the chocolate, finely chop the chocolate and set aside. I usually use Green & Black's brand, one bar of 60% and one bar of 85%.
5. Heat the cream on medium low until almost boiling. While the cream heats, separate the eggs and beat the yolks together in a small bowl let come to room temperature. If you set it on the stove to warm, be careful the eggs do not cook at all.
6. Once the cream is steaming, pour 2 T of it into eggs to temper. Beat together and pour egg mix into the cream, stirring constantly. Cook until it is back to a simmer. Add the chocolate and stir until it is fully melted. Set aside to cool.
7. Once cool enough to touch, pour over the peanut butter layer. Place plastic wrap against the chocolate to prevent a crust. Refrigerate until solid. Takes about 4 hours. I usually let it sit overnight.
8. Remove plastic wrap. With a plastic blade or spatula, separate the edge of the pie from the pan and remove, if using a spring form. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Dollop onto the pie. Sprinkle cacao nibs over the peaks of whipped cream. You can sweeten the cream if you like, but this is so rich I think a sweetened cream takes away from the flavor and decadence.
9. As an alternative, you can put them in mini muffin tins and serve as peanut butter cups. If you do this, do not use egg yolks, and use equal volume of chocolate and cream (so less cream).