You know the phrase “easy as pie”?
I’m not going to lie to you. This pie was not really easy. It’s not exactly hard either, there are just so many steps to it. And so many dirty bowls and pans to wash too.
But it is so worth it all! The deep chocolate bottom layer and fluffy peanut butter layer are meant for each other. If you’re looking for a special occasion dessert (Easter, maybe?) this is it.
I combined two different recipes to create this pie. Both recipes were in an old church cookbook and both used a similar way of cooking the custard from scratch. However, one recipe called for using heavy whipping cream and the other called for Cool Whip.
It seemed a shame to use Cool Whip after making the rest from scratch, but I didn’t have any whipping cream and I didn’t want to go buy any. Also, the Cool Whip saved me from dirtying yet another bowl to beat the cream.
Trust me, by that point I was very happy that Cool Whip was handy to save a step!
Here’s what you’ll need:
I forgot to put the Cool Whip in that photo.
A quick note about reading this recipe and others longer recipes: Something wacky happened with the formatting of the recipes on my site. Recipes with longer lists of ingredients are split into 2 or 3 columns, making them hard to read. I’m going to have this fixed but it’s going to be the end of April before it happens (long, long story on why this happened). You can read the recipe easier if you click “print”. You’ll have a readable version in front of you that you can choose to print or not. Sorry for the trouble!
Black Bottom Peanut Butter Chiffon Pie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tbs. cornstarch
- 2 cups milk
- 4 beaten egg yolks
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 baked 9" pie shell
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups Cool Whip
- chocolate curls optional
Instructions
- Mix first 4 ingredients in heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Dip 1 cup out in a bowl and add chocolate and vanilla. Stir till chocolate melts.
- Pour chocolate filling in bottom of pie shell. Chill in refrigerator.
- Add gelatin to 1/4 cup cold water. Let sit 1 minute.
- Add gelatin water to hot custard. Stir till dissolved.
- Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter till well mixed and smooth.
- Beat egg whites with electric mixer, gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar. Mix till stiff peaks form.
- Fold in peanut butter custard and Cool Whip.
- Pour peanut butter layer on top of chocolate layer. Chill in refrigerator.
- Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.
This looks and sounds mouth watering! I recently made up a similar recipe but the two layers are flip flopped. Thanks for sharing another fabulous dish.
Did you use premade pie crust or homemade???
Cassie, this time I made a homemade crust.
Chocolate and PB… a favorite combo. I will have to try that!
I printed this off for my boss – she loves ALL THINGS peanut butter related! I think she might make it this weekend! 🙂 Great recipe and looks delicious!
I made this last night and it really was alot of work. To be fair, I was also trying to make dinner, take care of a newborn and toddler, and allow my 8 and 10 year olds to help…so maybe I set myself up! 🙂 But really, it does taste and look amazing and I was totally proud of myself! My kids got to learn about making pie crust, separating eggs, using gelatin, and making whipped cream (because we don’t use Cool Whip) Thanks for posting!
Lindsey, I’m so glad you made it! It is a true cooking experience, not the “assembly only” cooking I usually do 😉 Enjoy that pie!
Dear “Eat at Home”,
I would love to make your choc. Peanut butter chiffon pie but I do not understand your recipe. Where did the custard come from into which we are supposed to pour the gelatin water. I would appreciate a reply. Thank you.
Kindest regards,
Judy