Peanut Butter Cream Pies with Peanut Crust

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Have two 9-inch pie plates ready.
2. Make the crust: pulse 100 g of the dry-roasted peanuts in a food processor until finely ground, keeping the remaining 60 g of dry-roasted peanuts aside for the topping. Add the flour, brown sugar and half of the salt and pulse to mix. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like damp sand and holds together when squeezed.
3. Divide the crumbs evenly between the pie plates and press firmly over the bottoms and up the sides with a flat-bottomed cup.
4. Bake the crusts 16 to 18 minutes, until golden brown at the edges. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
5. Make the ganache: warm 60 g of the heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming, take it off the heat, add the chocolate chips, wait 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Spread half of the ganache over the bottom of each cooled crust and set aside while you make the filling.
6. Make the peanut butter custard: in a medium saucepan, whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch and the remaining half of the salt, then whisk in the whole milk and the beaten egg until smooth.
7. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and bubbles, about 8 to 10 minutes; it should reach at least 160°F (71°C). Boil gently 1 minute while whisking.
8. Off the heat, whisk in the peanut butter and the vanilla until glossy and smooth.
9. Divide the hot custard between the two crusts over the ganache and smooth the tops. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill at least 4 hours, until set.
10. Before serving, whip the remaining 240 g of cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar to soft peaks. Spread half the whipped cream over each pie.
11. Coarsely chop the reserved 60 g of dry-roasted peanuts and scatter half over each pie. Cut each pie into 6 slices and keep leftovers in the fridge.