Ultimate Pie: Peanut Butter

DEAR SOS: After my nephew’s graduation from UC Santa Barbara, we had dinner at The Brewhouse on Montecito Street. It was a most memorable meal. I hope you can get the recipe for the incredible Peanut Butter Cream Pie. It was light, luscious and subtly flavored, almost mousse-like in texture. It would make a perfect desert for my summertime gatherings.

SHIRLEY WARGON Los Angeles

DEAR SHIRLEY: Chef Saturnina Mora was happy to oblige. Congratulations to the graduate.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus 3 hours chilling

CRUST

1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cookie crumbs and peanut butter and mix well. Shape the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until set, 7 minutes. Cool completely.

FILLING

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3 cups whipping cream

Mix together the cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar until there are no lumps.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream to form stiff peaks, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture and pour it into the pie crust. Chill the pie 3 to 4 hours before serving.

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8 servings. Each serving: 737 calories; 324 mg sodium; 153 mg cholesterol; 59 grams fat; 30 grams saturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 2 grams fiber.

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Towel fron Windows, Pasadena.

Send requests to Culinary SOS, Food Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or e-mail to: [email protected]. Please include your last name and city of residence for publication. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants.