Shelly's Recipe

Chocolate Crusted Peanut Butter Tart

Category: Tarts

NOTE: This is really rich!

For the crust:

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter

For the bottom layer:

4 oz bittersweet chocolate diced (65 percent cacao or up to 85 percent. The higher the number, the deeper the chocolate flavor,
and less sweet)
3 oz whipping cream

For the peanut butter layer:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3 cups whipped topping or cream

Optional top decoration

4 oz of bittersweet chocolate
3 oz of whipping cream

Combine the cookie crumbs, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix with a fork until the crumbs are all wet with butter. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the tart pan and flatten it with your fingers. Gather some of the crumbs up along this sides and press them firmly to you make a 1-inch (or so) rim on your tart. Make room for the tart pan in
your freezer and put it in there for 15 minutes to harden it.

While the tart pan is in the freezer, make your bottom layer. In a small sauce pan, carefully, and slowly melt the chocolate and
cream. Stir constantly. This will only take a couple of minutes on medium low. Even before the chocolate is fully melted take it off the heat. The heat of the pan and the hot cream will continue to melt the chocolate.

Take the tart crust out of the freezer and spread this layer over the crust bottom but not up the sides.

Return the pan to the freezer for up to 15 minutes more; or until the chocolate has
hardened. While this is happening make your peanut butter filling. In a bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the whipped topping and beat just until mixed. Take the tart out of the freezer and spread the peanut butter mixture on top.

Smooth the top with a spatula and lightly cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. You can do this a day ahead of
serving or chill for at least three hours.

To serve, remove plastic wrap and take a very sharp knife and carefully work it around the rim of the tart. You need to do this to loosen the sides of the tart away from the metal rim before you spring the pan open. Because the tart is cold this takes some
pressure and some patience. It's worth this extra step though so you don't break the crust trying to get it out of the pan.

Serving Suggestions:
Display on a pretty platter. Then make your final topping or plan to serve plain. Melt the chocolate and cream, and this time use a
small spoon to take the chocolate mixture out of the pan and drizzle it around the edges of the tart. I do this in a swirl pattern to decorate the tart. I leave the middle two or
three-inch plain so the drizzle decoration looks like a chocolate-swirl wreath around the sides. You can leave the tart out of the refrigerator for up to a couple of hours before serving it; depending on how hot it is in your area.

I like to leave it out at least 15 minutes so the depth of flavor comes out. If you serve it too cold it tastes too much like refrigerator cold. I don't like to serve this sort of dessert right out of the refrigerator because I think it tastes better if it's just cool and not cold. Cut with a sharp knife and serve.