Peanut Butter Tart

I think the only time I liked Halloween was as a small child when my mother would painstakingly craft the cutest costumes for my brother and I.  One year I was a cabbage patch kid complete with my own stuffed cabbage to sit upon.  Another year, I was an Indian with leather scraps to make up my skirt, and feathers pointing straight from my head.  My brother had a batman costume that would have rivaled a costume character.  Ah, the good ‘ol days.

The older I got, however, the meaning and tradition behind Halloween became clear.  My distaste for the season is almost comical considering my mom and Godfather are Halloween masterminds, creating Haunted Houses that will scare the ever living life out of you.  Seriously.  With the exception of maybe November and December, my mom and Godfather are scheming new Halloween gore.  Their respective offices are orange and black, all shelves are adorned with Department 56 Halloween paraphernalia and other miscellaneous (more gore) Halloween items.

This year, as with every year The Husband has been in country, we had a small group of people get together to rally on All Hallow’s Eve.  I still like seeing the creativity of little kiddos and what they come up with for a costume, so we always make sure to stock up on candy.  Of course, I never seem to learn my lesson.  No Reece’s. I had to make a mad dash to Target for another round of candy since The Husband managed to kill all of the Reece’s despite the fact that I’d made a chocolate peanut butter tart.  The Husband loved the tart, but his parting words were, “You just can’t beat a Reece’s.”

The tart is rich and decadent; bursting at the seems with creamy peanut butter and rich dark chocolate, the crust is almost too sweet but ultimately compliments the bitterness the chocolate provides.

**not gluten free**

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
A Delta Whiskey Creation

20 Oreo cookies
6 T butter, melted

3/4 c creamy peanut butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 c confectioner’s sugar
1 t vanilla

1 c heavy cream
1 t vanilla

1 (4 oz) bar 60% cacao chocolate (I use Girardelli)
1 T heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, pulse the Oreo cookies until finely ground.  Stir into melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of a tart pan. Bake for 7 minutes, then allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy.  In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and vanilla until thickened, slowly add confectioner’s sugar.  Fold cream into peanut butter mixture.  Pour into cooled crust.

Melt chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler.  Stir in 1 T heavy cream until smooth and shiny.  Drop small amounts of chocolate over the peanut butter mixture.  Swirl peanut butter with chocolate.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cut into 1 1/2″ squares (or wedges if using a round tart pan) and enjoy.

Project Valour-IT is still going strong with almost $40,000 in donations!  Thank you all, for the donations to support our wounded warriors in their recovery.  The e-bay auction started today, all proceeds going to Valour-IT. Check it out and see if there’s something that tickles your fancy… or, remember, Christmas is now fully on it’s way.  Perhaps you can find a gift for one of your loved ones.