It's the middle of the week, and you're got sudden dinner guests. Don't panic and have a melt down or rush off to buy some day old chocolate cake. You can make a decadent dessert from the very ingredients in your fridge. With your culinary goddess cape flying high in the wind, the delectable dessert will indeed set tongues wagging at the exceptional wonder of its existence. Sweet but not too sweet, chocolaty with a hint of warm peanut butter, and crunchy tinges of sweet giving away to smooth rich chocolate caramel peanut goodness. You don't have to bake, baste or boil, this can be put together and put away until guests are ready to be teased and pampered. Try it you won't regret it! 

Ingredients 

- 300g crushed Oreo cookies 
- 150g melted unsalted butter 
- 100g chopped dark chocolate 
- 50g crushed peanuts 
- 150g smooth or crunchy peanut butter 
- 400g dark cooking chocolate 
- 150ml thickened cream (35% fat content) 

Method 

Start off by adding 300g of Oreos to a food processor and process until you reach a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and process until well combined. (you’re looking for a wet sand consistency. If your mixture appears too dry add another tablespoon of melted butter. 

Add the crumb mixture to 30cm rectangle. I used a long one but you may use a 20cm round tin. Press down using the palm of your hands. Shape it so that it covers the bottom and sides evenly. Place in the fridge for 20 min to firm up. 

While that’s chilling prepare the chocolate filling by adding the dark chocolate and cream to a large microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring each time until the mixture is smooth. 

Spread an even layer of peanut butter on the crust before you pour the ganache into the pie shell Place peanut butter cups (cut in half) into the ganache and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Place it in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight to chill before serving. 

By Mayuri Jayasinghe