Mexican Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Try a taste of New Mexico with New Mexican Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie. The combination of peanut butter and ice cream is delicious! A special secret ingredient makes the Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie uniquely New Mexican.

Peanuts are an important crop in New Mexico. In 2011 about 6000 acres (2400 hectares) of peanuts were planted/harvested yielding around 18,000 tons (16,000 metric tons). The two most popular types grown are runners and Valencia peanuts. The Valencia peanuts are especially valued for their flavor and having three or more nuts per pod. All peanuts are excellent sources of protein and ‘good’ fats. That makes them the perfect ingredient for New Mexican Peanut Ice Cream Pie.

Ingredients

*7 oz/210 gm graham cracker/digestive biscuit crumbs
*3.5 oz/ 100 gm brown sugar
*4 oz/ 113 gm unsalted butter, softened
*10 oz/ 285 gm smooth natural unsweetened peanut butter
*3.5 oz 100 gm granulated white sugar
*2 qt/ 2 liters good quality vanilla or chocolate ice cream, softened
*3 tbs grated milk or semisweet chocolate
*chopped chocolate or peanut butter chips for garnish
*crushed Mexican-type roasted salted peanuts (cacahuetes con chile) or roasted peanuts tossed with a pinch of powdered red chile

Cacahuetes(peanuts with chile)

Oven at 350 F/175 C

Mix the graham/digestive crumbs, brown sugar, and butter. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch/23 cm pie plate or baking tin. Try to get the thickness of the crust even, without any holes. Bake for 10 minutes or until brown. Set the crust aside and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and white sugar; mix thoroughly. Stir in the softened vanilla or chocolate ice cream but leave a few streaks. Spread about half the peanut butter-ice cream mixture smoothly over the bottom of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the grated chocolate evenly over the mixture. Spoon the rest of the peanut butter-ice cream mix over the chocolate. Smooth and level the top.

Freeze uncovered until the New Mexican Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie solidifies. Remove from the freezer a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle some of the crushed salted chile peanuts and tiny chocolate or peanut butter chips over the pie. Offer the rest of the crushed peanuts and chocolate/peanut butter chips in small bowls for guests to further decorate their own portion of New Mexican Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie.