Look, I may or may not have been trying to make this recipe, well, since Joy the Baker posted it.
When she first posted it, I did not have any heavy whipping cream in the house. So, I made a mental note to pick some up the next I went shopping.
Finally, I had all the ingredients in possession!
Not so fast, Tex! (as Mr. Smith sometimes says to me)
The nectarines. Oh the nectarines. They were getting ripe, they were getting gorgeous. They needed to be used for something. They did not go with a Peanut Butter Tart.
So, I got sidetracked by these
and what a lovely distraction they were. Nectarine Shortbread, we will meet again.
And then I got distracted by this
And this
And by the time I got back on track, we were running short on peanut butter. This is a situation that requires immediate and swift action around here.
Grand Master H is a VERY hungry dude. Some days, okay, most days, he requires three toasted peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches. Yes, that is six slices of double fiber bread (thanks Oroweat, you guys rock!)
Someone made the emergency run to the store that sells the correct peanut butter (because we are fussy around here dammit!) in the two-jar-shrink-wrapped-together-packs for our mass consumption and convenience.
Please, don't even get me started on the peanut butter. It is, by far, my favorite substance. I have a very deep love for the stuff.
We will just leave it at that.
Once I had the peanut butter, it should have been go time. Right?
No.
Baby C had plowed through most of the graham crackers (or as she calls them, Damn Crackers) required for the crust.
Doh!
And this is why I have to improvise, substitute, modify stuff folks. Where would I be if I let lack of crucial ingredients stop me?
So I found a partial box of these little gems in the cupboard. They are perfectly fine in their whole state for ice cream sandwiches, if you are into ice cream sandwiches.
However, smashed up into crumbs, you can use them in almost any recipe that calls for graham crackers.
The more I thought about their chocolate goodness with the peanut butter filling, the more I realized I had really hit on something.
Oh boy, did I ever hit on something.
Just heavenly and here's why.
The filling is not overly sweet and it is REALLY peanut buttery. Because you use natural peanut butter, there is no sugar in it. It is just the peanuts themselves, taking center stage. As they should.
The dark chocolate of the crust is also perfect because these cookies, also, are not all that sweet.
Note: You may want to spray the pan before pressing the crust into it. It might be a little difficult to get out. Hopefully, the cooking spray will prevent that problem.
You end up with a dessert that looks decadent, but is actually quite light.
The final product tastes like the Lake Champlain Peanut Five Star candy bar I fell in love with after reading Candy Freak. Worth every penny. Oh my.
[It is also a great audio book if you have a boring commute or a long trip in your future. He covers all the obscure candy habits and traditions you can imagine. You will learn a ton about the candy industry, the history of the companies, etc. It really is interesting. Be warned, you will end up ordering candy from all over these United States, so tread lightly!]
Or, you could just skip the book, make the tart and experience the taste, while saving money on shipping candy during the summer, or even during the warm-ish fall months. Messy.
Either way, make the tart. Use the graham crackers, if you don't have a graham cracker thief in your midst. Use the Famous Wafers if you can find them in the grocery store. Amazon does sell them, but holy mackerel, who needs a CASE of Famous Wafers?
Awww, go on and make it. You know you want to!