POTS AND PANS CITY BLOG

There are so many recipes for fruit pies, it is nice to try something different once in a while.  This Peanut Butter Pie is a favorite with kids as well as adults.  It has a nutty sweetness that makes it delightfully different.

Peanut Butter (or peanut paste as it is also known) is made primarily from ground roasted peanuts, with or without added oil.  The United States is the number one producer and consumer of peanut butter in the world, but it is also popular in other countries such as Canada, South America, Mexico, Central America, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Guinea, New Zealand, Bahamas, West Africa, North Africa, The Netherlands, Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

There are various types of peanuts, but the ones popular for making peanut butter in the United States are the Runner and Spanish types.  Alabama, Florida and Georgia produce 60% of the peanuts that are used in the making of peanut butter.  Other states that grow peanuts are Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

The peanut butter making process starts when the harvested peanuts are sent to factories for inspection.  The peanuts are then roasted in oven and rapidly air-cooled to stop the cooking process.  This helps to retain the color and oil constituents of the peanuts.  The cooked and cooled peanuts are then rubbed between rubber belts or brushes to remove any excess skin.  The nut kernels are then split with the hearts removed.  They are cleaned and sorted and then sent to the grinder where they are ground not once, but twice. During the second grinding, salt, sweetener and a stabilizer (to keep the oils from separating) is added. 

In the United States, products labeled as peanut butter must contain at least 90% peanuts.  Artificial sweeteners or colors and preservatives are not allows.  Some manufacturers sell what is known as a peanut spread to get around this restriction.  Some brands add salt and sugars such as dextrose, sucrose, fructose or molasses to cater to the tastes of some consumers.

You can buy peanut butter in smooth or crunchy varieties.  Smooth peanut butter is easy to spread and contains finely ground peanuts made into a paste-like consistency.  Crunchy peanut butter has bits or pieces of unground peanuts mixed with the paste.

Peanut butter is rich in protein, Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, magnesium, folate, dietary fibre, arginine and has high levels of antioxidant p-coumaric acid.  Due to the high levels of monounsaturated fats and resveratrol peanut butter contains it can help ward of cardiovascular disease.  Peanut butter prepared with the skins has a greater level of resveratrol and other healthful agents.

Some types of peanut butter can contain a small percentage of added hydrogenated vegetable oil to make the peanut butter easier to spread.  These are high in trans fatty acids, which has been thought to contribute to atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and stroke.  Natural peanut butters do not contain the partially hydrogenated oils.  But peanut butter is considered high in total fat and in calories.

Peanut butter is one of those things that children tend to love to eat.  This Peanut Butter Pie recipe is sure to be a favorite with your family, young and old.

Peanut Butter Pie

PASTRY: 

• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 ½ TBSP. cold water (approximately)

Add flour, salt, sugar and shortening in food processor.  Process in short bursts until ingredients are combined and has the texture of small peas.  Add cold water a little at a time.  Add only enough water to hold pastry together.  Shape into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for about an hour.  After and hour, unwrap and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8” thick shaping into a circle as you work.  Gently lay pastry in pie plate.

Preheat oven to 450° F.

FILLING:

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ¾ cups chopped peanuts

In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and vanilla together with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until fluffy with each addition.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Then blend in milk.  Turn the filling into the pastry shell.  Top the filling with the chopped peanuts.

Bake at 450° F for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven heat to 350° F and bake for 20-25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Cool on rack.