First off, I love anything in an Oreo Crust. Oreo crust good, Oreo crust filled with peanut butter mousse, toffee and chocolate ganache…where is my fork?
Since I love the chocolate and peanut butter combo, this is, no doubt, just the start of the chocolate peanut butter shenanigans that will take place on this site. But all good things have to start somewhere, so let’s begin the decadence with this luscious Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte.
When it comes to cooking, we all stand on the shoulders of those who have come before. Generations of cooks have experimented and shared recipes, making small changes to suit their taste. In the blogging world, this happens all the time. When you take someone else’s recipe and make it “your own,” it is common courtesy to give thanks and credit to the original. This can lead to some funny run-on credits and this is my first.
I was inspired to make this dessert by the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte posted at Annie’s Eats. Annie adapted it from a recipe by Dorie Greenspan. Annie made some changes and I made some changes to Annie’s changes.
I enjoy the collaborative nature of cooking. Fun times in the kitchen, sharing a tip or a recipe…what could be better? Who owns this recipe now? It’s hard to say. Let’s say we all own it and have another slice of dessert.
So let’s get cracking in my version of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte.
CRUST
- 32 Oreo cookies, finely processed into crumbs
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of kosher salt
CRUNCH
- 3/4 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided
- 1/2 cup toffee, chopped
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dash of ground nutmeg
FILLING
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 11 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
TOPPING
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl.
Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before filling.
Make the crunch in another small bowl by combining 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts, chopped toffee, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with a fork to mix and set aside.
To prepare the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks.
Beat in 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks.
Scrape the cream into a separate bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Using the same mixer bowl (no need to wash), replace the whisk with the paddle attachment, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, whole milk, and 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts until well combined.
Stir in about 1/4 of the whipped cream just to lighten the mousse.
Then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream and crunch mixture.
Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.
To finish the torte, bring 1/2 cup of cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chopped semisweet chocolate. Gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, at least 20 minutes. When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the springform pan.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice with a hot dry knife.
