The chocolate peanut butter surprise

There is one dessert request I get from Jeff about every three months...chocolate peanut butter pie.  I introduced Jeff to this classic " Chesley Lake Camp" dessert.  My family went to Chesley every summer when I was growing up and Sunday lunch the dessert option was always pie....and my choice was always chocolate peanut butter pie.  There's nothing quite like it. 

Chesley is infact the place I met my long time friend Veronica about 25 years ago this past summer.  I Can't believe that is even possible.  Our family's quickly became fast friends and our evenings would end in games of rook...late night swims and camp fires.

Well skip ahead 20 years and I ended up living with Veronica's parents who graciously took me in while I was living in Brampton working at the woodbine racetrack. Over my time living with Ken and Bonnie they turned from Veronica's parents to my amazing friends.  In particular;  Bonnie and I would cook and bake together and we shared the love for cookbooks.  This kind generous friend also shared this secret; she had gotten the chocolate peanut butter pie recipe from the original baker.  What?!?! My entire family was and is grateful for this discovery!

Now that you have the back story I will share the recipe:

I should tell you that I used to be very intimidated of making pies...but this recipe has made it very easy for me to make great pies!

No fail pastry:

5 cups flour

1lbs lard

1 tsp salt

1egg(slightly beaten)

1tbsp vinegar

Milk

Cut flour, lard, salt together.  Break egg into 1 cup measuring cup, beat slightly, add vinegar and enough milk to fill the 1 cup measuring cup.  Add to flour and mix into dough ball.  

I form this into 6 balls, wrap in plastic wrap, flatten, and freeze.  Then they are ready to thaw and roll out when I need them!

Chocolate peanut butter pie:

1 baked pie crust - cooled

Beat 1 -250 g cream cheese

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 cup peanut butter(recipe only calls for half a cup but this is what we prefer)

Mix well and put on crust

(I use this for the two pies...I find it a little thick for one pie....I usually make two pies at once....after you taste it you'll know why!!!)

Mix up 1package of chocolate pudding and pie mix.  Pour over peanut butter layer. 

Top with 250ml of whipped sweetened cream.

Top with chopped peanuts. (I do this right before serving....I don't like them to get soft)

Chill overnight! Or if you can't wait...

So there you have it ...our Chesley secret!  Thanks again Bonnie for sharing this amazing keepsake!