My husband’s sweet grandmother knows how much I love to cook and bake, so every few months she gives me her collection of food magazine she subscribes to. For weeks my “reading” consists of thumbing through the large stack of magazines looking for great recipes and recipe inspiration.
I found this Peanut Butter Pretzel tart in one of the Every Day with Rachel Ray magazines she’d given me. I tore the page out months ago and finally got around to making it.
This tart gives you the perfect combination of sweet and salty.
We have a crunchy, buttery and salty pretzel crust…
A sweet cream cheese and peanut butter filling…
Topped off with a generous drizzle of warm caramel sauce…
What’s not to love?
Peanut Butter Pretzel Tart
Ingredients
2 cups broken salted pretzel sticks
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
(6 tablespoons melted and cooled, 3 tablespoons softened, and 2 tablespoons chilled)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Using a food processor, finely grind the pretzels, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake until light brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and the 3tbs softened butter at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form, then fold into the peanut butter mixture. Evenly spread the peanut butter mixture in the tart shell. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
In a small, heavy skillet, bring the granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a wet pastry brush). Boil without stirring, but swirling the pan occasionally, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the 2 tbsp chilled butter, the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer the caramel to a bowl and let cool completely. Rewarm gently before drizzling over the sliced tart; serve the remainder on the side.
**You can skip step 3 and use store bough caramel sauce if you’re short on time!
source: Every Day with Rachel Ray
Ummmmm…. I MUST make this! Pretzels are my guilty pleasure. I always eat them with ice cream so this looks perfect. Now I just have to make it kinda healthy so I can feature it on the blog. Peanut butter is protein, right? 😉
I love Grandmas!! 🙂 This tart sounds amazing-yummmy!:)
I love sweet and salty! And I love grandmas too!
There is nothing not to love. You have combined so many of my favorite flavors. I have never had a pretzel crust but, I am certain my y life will never be the same once I make this.