Sherpa's Wonderin's

SJ, you read my mind

I have a confession. I don't have a huge opinion about marshmallows, but I like peeps. Alot. I even have this fantasy of going to Bethlehem PA (where peeps are "just born"), buying a case of peeps, a 10 lb bag of hot tamales and having a candy orgy. Everyone's got to have a dream right? So, when I spied the article about "Peeps in a pie" on Npr.org, I knew what was going to be on the menu for Easter Dinner. Talking Kelli into being an accomplice, well that was easier than taking candy from a baby, as she not only loves peeps, but marshmallows are one of her four food groups.

I like to cook, but making Peeps pie, and watching the little guys melt (did you know that the eyeballs melt slower than the peeps, and as you stir, the little eyeballs come up to the top?)

Chocolate and Peeps Pie
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 full packages of Peeps, 30 Peeps total (your choice of color), plus additional for garnish
1/3 cup hot milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon brandy
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small chunks and chilled in freezer (or two toffee bars chopped into bite-size pieces)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine.
Mix butter, sugar and crushed graham crackers in a bowl. Press mixture evenly into the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
Bake crust for 7 minutes until golden. Allow to cool to room temperature. (Crust can be made a day or two in advance and kept fresh in the refrigerator.)
Using a double boiler, stir in hot milk and Peeps until fully melted and uniform in color. Allow to cool to room temperature, 7-10 minutes. Do not allow mixture to stiffen.
Whip cream to stiff peaks using a hand blender or kitchen mixer. Add brandy during mixing.
Using large rubber spatula, fold whipped cream and chocolate pieces into the Peeps mixture. Make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Pour into graham cracker pie shell and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Garnish with green coconut (see below), whole Peeps and/or more chocolate pieces.

Green Coconut Topping
This recipe is adapted from the official Peeps Web site.
2 cups of shredded coconut
6-8 drops green food coloring
Toss coconut in a tightly sealed container with 2-3 drops of food coloring
Continue to add 2-3 more drops to achieve desired shade of green.
Spread colored coconut on a paper towel to dry.
Top pie with coconut.

Joy preparing the peeps to go into the potJoy and half-melted Peeps

Close-up on the peeps. One was forked
Kelli savoring the filling

Joy grinning at the finished pie.