Peanut Butter and Jelly Pie

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pie

For Pi Day I decided to come up with my own recipe for a new pie. The idea for peanut butter and jelly pie came to me and the end result turned out beautifully. It does take a good bit of work and time to make but it is worth it, the payoff is a deliciously sweet pie that will remind you of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Recipe:

Crust-
I just used a store bought dough to help save time, but you can use a homemade dough or a graham cracker crust.

Peanut Butter Filling-
8 oz package of cream cheese
3/4 C of creamy peanut butter
Little over 1 tsp vanilla
Little under 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Small pinch of salt
3/4 C of powdered sugar
Small splash of milk
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mixed Berry Jelly Topping-
Heaping Cup of mixed berries, fresh or frozen (I used mostly cranberries with some raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries)
3/4 C sugar, half white half brown
1/2 Tbs corn starch
1 Tbs lemon juice

Directions:

For crust:
Mix up whichever type of crust you choose and bake it in a pie pan according to the directions. Set aside and let cool.

For filling:
In a stand mixer blend together the cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Then add the powdered sugar with the milk and mix in well. Place mixture into a bowl and put into the refrigerator.

For topping:
Place berries into a medium sauce pan and cook on medium high until boiling, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and let boil another minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar and corn starch and continue on a low boil until the berries start to thicken, keep stirring, you'll want to smash the berries with a potato masher to help break them down. Once it thickens to the consistency you desire, take off the heat and let cool (it will thicken a bit more after cooling).

For finishing the filling:
Add the whipping cream, 1 Tbs powdered sugar, and the 1/4 tsp of vanilla to a clean bowl in the stand mixer. With a whisk attachment beat the mixture, starting slow and working your way up to high. Keep beating until you reach the stiff peaks stage, this will take a few minutes. When you are there, detach the bowl from the stand mixer and take the rest of the filling mix out of the fridge. Slowly fold the peanut butter mixture into the whip cream until it is all incorporated. 

For assembling:
Spoon the filling into the pie crust and smooth out the top to make an even surface. Next spoon the cooled jelly topping onto the peanut butter layer and spread it across in an even layer. Cover the dish and let chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving. Once chilled slice it up, serve, and enjoy.

I hope you like it as much as I do. Feel free to play around with the berries you use to make different jelly flavors. This is the first baking recipe I've actually put together so I hope it goes well for you.