Peanut Butter Pie Sealed with Kisses

I discovered this pie one day while I was in a peanut butter mood. The filling turns out like a peanut butter mouse, really light and not too sweet. The chocolate kisses blend nicely and if you want, you can make your own chocolate sauce to drizzle instead of using Hershey's.

Crust

30 Vanilla or chocolate wafers

1/3 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter at room temperature

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

18 chocolate kisses

Chocolate sauce for drizzling

Position the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

TO MAKE CRUST:

Combine the wafers and peanuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and process until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse a few times until incorporated. Using your fingers, press the mixture evenly into the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it firmly. Bake until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pie dish to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING:

Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl. Set aside. Combine the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on a medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. The cream should slowly fall over foreword when lifted with a whisk. Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer.

Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in about half of the week cream mixture into the peanut butter. Then transfer this mixture into the remaining whip cream mixture and beat on medium-high speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and spread evenly. Arrange the chocolate kisses in a circular fashion on the outside edge of the filling, 1/2 inch in from the crust. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or as long as overnight. Slice and serve with an artful drizzle of chocolate sauce.