Happy 2013, and a Peanut Butter Mousse Tart

Happy new year, everyone!

I have a couple of friends in town, and there is no better excuse to bake than friends around to feed.

I have been going through a tart phase, and you may take that any way you would like.

So I pulled out Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie and Pastry Bible and made a peanut butter tart.

The tart crust is basically peanut butter cookie dough, pressed out into the pan and blind baked. This portion of the recipe takes the longest, and that is because there are a couple of one hour rests in the refrigerator. So really, not that hard.

The peanut butter mousse takes at most ten minutes to put together. Just a mix of peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whipped cream. The filling goes into the pie shell and into the refrigerator.

While the filling chills, the ganache--which is made of mostly milk chocolate with a little bitter chocolate to temper the sweetness--is made and when cooled, spread over the top of the pie.

The tart is a bit rich. You need to be a lover of peanut butter to enjoy this. The peanut butter cookie crust is excellent, the ganache is just the perfect balance, and the whole dessert is divine.

All that is left is to slice and serve to your friends. We chose to do it while watching Ferris Bueller and drinking tea. It was a good way to start the year.

May your new year be the beginning of something sweet, something rich, and something divine.