It was another ordinary, summer day. The kids were tired from an afternoon of swimming, and they lounged on the couch, watching a movie. I took the rare quiet moment to check email and Twitter. As I began to browse the latter, I noticed a recurring theme: dozens of tweets expressing sorrow and sending virtual hugs to Jennifer Perillo - a wife, mother and professional recipe developer from Brooklyn, and author of the food blog "In Jennie's Kitchen." Jennie's husband Mikey had died - suddenly, unexpectedly - leaving Jennie and two young daughters behind.
I didn't know Mikey, and I only knew of Jennie through Twitter and her blog. But I was touched by Jennie's story, and struck by the outpouring of emotion and real sense of community as the news rippled across the internet. Concerned friends asked Jennie how they could help. She responded in a touching post, asking that people celebrate Mikey's life by making his favorite pie and sharing it with loved ones.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people in the food blogging community and beyond did just that on Friday, gathering with family and friends, celebrating life, and eating peanut butter pie in memory of a young husband and father gone too soon.
I did the same. Our family had been invited to dinner at the home of some dear friends, and I had offered to bring dessert. So, although I'd never made one before, a peanut butter pie seemed only fitting. I adapted Jennie's recipe and divided it into several mini-tarts and a small pie. Unfortunately, my pie did not have sufficient time to set up, so the end result was more soup than super. But you know what? It didn't matter. We enjoyed a great dinner with our friends. I held their new baby boy for the first time, as we watched the rest of our kids play together. And when it came time for dessert, we all dipped in with our fingers and laughed, savoring the salty-sweetness of the moment... and the half-frozen peanut butter pie.
The old me would have come home from dinner and stayed up late to finish this post on Friday, the same day as most of the other bloggers. Instead, I uploaded the photos and turned off the computer. I said a prayer for Mikey, Jennie, and their children. I tucked my own children into bed and kissed them goodnight. I took a long walk under the cool moonlight with our new dog. I made love to my husband and fell asleep in his arms. The post could wait a day or two, but life wasn't going to wait. "Today is the only guarantee we can count on."
Frozen Peanut Butter Pie (dairy free)
Adapted from In Jennie's Kitchen
We finished the leftover pie the next evening, after freezing it overnight. This dessert is very dense and rich. Serve small slices to people you love, with hot coffee and big hugs.
Use organic whenever possible.
For sweetened condensed coconut milk:
2 – 14 ounce cans Thai-style, unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For crust:
4 ounces Oreo-style chocolate sandwich cookies (5 - 6 cookies; I like Newman's Own Organics)
4 ounces graham crackers (4 - 5 large crackers)
4 tablespoons non-dairy margarine, melted
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips (~scant 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped, salted peanuts
For pie filling:
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (~2 cups)
1 cup non-dairy whipped topping
8 ounces Tofutti cream cheese
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
For topping (optional):
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips (~scant 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin coconut oil
1 handful salted peanuts
Make the sweetened condensed coconut milk: Pour the coconut milk into a heavy, medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and watching closely to avoid boiling over. Reduce heat to medium and keep mixture at a gentle boil until slightly thickened and reduced by half, stirring often. This will take 60-90 minutes. Pour into a bowl over an ice bath, and cool completely, stirring occasionally. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
Make the crust: Pulse the cookies and graham crackers together in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Combine melted margarine and cookie crumbs in a small bowl; mix well. Press mixture into the base of twelve, 2-inch tartelette pans with removable bottoms, using a tablespoon of the mixture for each. Press the remaining crust mixture into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan.*
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Add a small dollop of melted chocolate on top of the crust of each of the tartelettes, and pour the remaining chocolate over the bottom of the crust in the springform pan. Spread to the edges using a spoon or an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate, and place pans in the refrigerator while you finish the filling.
Make the filling: beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, using the paddle attachment on medium speed. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed coconut milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and mixture is smooth. Add the whipped topping and mix just until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the prepared pan(s).
Optional: Make topping. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir in the coconut oil. Pour melted chocolate onto a silicone mat or small cookie sheet covered in wax or parchment paper. Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate to about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with the salted peanuts. Cool in the fridge or freezer until firm. Cut the bark into pieces and place randomly atop the pie.
Place pie and/or tartelettes in freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight, until frozen. Remove from freezer and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before cutting and serving.
Makes one 6-inch pie plus twelve 2-inch tartelettes, OR one 9-inch pie.
Serves 12-14.
* Alternatively, for a single pie, press the mixture into the bottom of one 9-inch springform pan.
You might also like:
Eatocracy - a Peanut Butter Pie in Memory of Mikey
Food in Jars - Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey (and Jennie too)
White on Rice Couple - Video for Jennifer Perillo: Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey
FN Dish - ChocolateCovered Peanut Butter Pie (and a comprehensive list of peanut butter pies around the web)
Search the Twitter hashtag #APieForMikey
