So the story goes that Elvis Presley’s all-time favorite meal was a peanut butter and banana sandwich with bacon.
I’ve tried it.
It’s actually pretty good – as long as the bacon isn’t too soggy (crisp bacon only) and the bread isn’t too mushy.
And then there’s something about the Monkey moniker when peanut butter, banana, and chocolate are all combined together. It just needs to be there…it really does.
Thus, we have a deliciously divine and equally evil Elvis Monkey Pie.
A glass of milk? A side of marshmallow fluff? Maybe just a few slices of bacon on the side. What do you think?
Elvis Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Monkey Pie
Pie Crust:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
8 Tbs. ice cold butter, cubed
1 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1 large egg
2-4 Tbs. ice water
Elvis Monkey Filling:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 large bananas, thinly sliced
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
14 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips, halfway melted
Combine all ingredients for the crust the bowl of a large food processor. Process and pulse until crumbly. Slowly add the ice water 1 Tbs. at a time, until a dough ball forms. On a floured surface, form into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.
Once the crust has chilled, roll out on a floured surface and lay into a pie tin, trimming the edges, folding under the excess dough, and then “knuckling” the rim for style.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a “press out and up” pie weight***, bake for 5-40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, beat together the half-way melted chocolate chips and cream cheese.
Slather the smooth peanut butter over the inside of the cooled crust. Top with the thinly sliced bananas. Then spread the chocolate cream cheese mixture (smooth with a few unmelted chocolate chips) over the top. Chill for several hours before slicing.
You may just want to try this with a few strips of bacon. We all know Elvis would!
***I’ve perfect my pie crust – I developed this recipe and technique about a year ago and it works every time in terms of consistency and flavor. However, I’ve still been struggling with my crust falling in the pre-cooking process. This tool is magic – a lifesaver. You must consider purchasing one if you intend on creating the perfect pie. Once you try it, you’ll never bake a pie without it!
