Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte
Ingredients:
- chocolate wafer cookies, processed into fine crumbs - 1 box
- butter, melted, cooled - 1/3 cup
- salt - pinch
- salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided - 1 1/4 cups
- mini chocolate chips - 1/2 cup
- sugar - 2 tsp
- espresso powder - 1/2 tsp
- ground cinnamon - 1/4 tsp
- ground nutmeg - dash
- heavy cream - 2 cups
- powdered sugar, sifted - 1 1/4 cups
- cream cheese, room temperature - 12 ounces
- creamy peanut butter (not natural) - 1 1/2 cups
- whole milk - 2 T
- heavy cream - 1/2 cup
- bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped - 4 ounces
Instructions:
Prepare crust -- in a bowl, combine crumbs, butter and salt; toss with a fork to moisten crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering bottom and sides of a buttered 9 inch springform pan to within 1 inch of the rim. Freeze crust for 10 minutes. Bake in preheated oven 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, place on wire rack and cool completely.
Prepare crunch -- in bowl, combine 1/2 c peanuts, chocolate chips, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg, toss with a fork to mix; set aside.
Prepare mousse -- in a bowl, whip 2 cups cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 c powdered sugar and whip until cream holds medium-firm peaks. Place in refrigerator until needed. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 c powdered sugar on medium speed until cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in peanut butter, milk and 1/4 c peanuts until well combined. Gently stir in 1/4 of whipped cream to lighten mousse. Stir in peanut mixture, carefully fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour mousse into crust, smooth top. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.
To finish torte -- place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave bowl over water just until chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove bowl from saucepan. Bring 1/4 cup cream to a full boil. Pour cream over chocolate, gently stir together until ganache is completely blended and smooth. Pour ganache evenly over torte. Sprinkle 1/2 c peanuts over top, place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes for ganache to set. When ganache is firm, remove sides of springform pan. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
