Inverse Peanut Butter Cup Pie

In celebration of Pi Day, why not make a yummy treat that incorporates another mathematical favorite - inverse numbers.¹

Standard peanut butter cups combine a chocolate exterior with creamy peanut butter insides, and they're fantastic. Though it may be hard to believe, when swapped to produce a peanut buttery crust filled with creamy chocolate filling, they're even more delicious.

¹Geek note: The multiplicative inverse of a number (x), also called the reciprocal, is defined as 1/x or x^-1

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Step 1: You'll Need. . .

Software

For the Crust (amounts can be doubled if desired - this makes approximately 6 mini-pies or one 10 inch tart/pie):

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt (approximately 1/16 teaspoon)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons (or 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
1/2 large egg (beat the egg, then measure out half of it)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling (you may end up with some extra, but I for one don't mind extra chocolate pudding):

1/8 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/16 teaspoon salt (a large pinch)
1/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts or peanut butter powder (or powdered sugar if you prefer)
If you want to get really fancy you can make a stencil using Shrinky Dink plastic similar to the one used for the heart stencil explained in steps 3 and 4 of these awesome anatomically correct brownies except it needs to be baked after cutting in order to shrink it
you might also want to use a small fine mesh sieve if using peanut butter powder (or powdered sugar if you prefer) for even distribution

Hardware

For the Crust:

large mixing bowl and wooden spoon or hand mixer (food processor can also be used)
measuring cups and spoons
small tart/pie pans (removable bottoms are strongly suggested) (this is the pan used here) - you can also make a larger pie if desired (crust should be enough for a 10 inch tart/pie pan - one with a removable bottom is suggested)
plastic wrap
dried beans or pie weights (optional)
shot glass or spoon to press dough into pan (optional but suggested)

For the Filling: