Tuesday, March 25, 2014
3.1415926535897932 is Math For Dessert
This has been in my drafts folder for a while, enjoy.
There are irrefutable laws in the world: the law of gravity, the nucleus of elemental iron contains 26 protons, butterscotch is gross always, energy can neither be created or destroyed - really one could go on and on listing the various laws that govern the natural world. But I do not want to highlight any of these natural laws (except for maybe the law listed third); no, this post is about another law. A law which is equally significant in all our lives. I speak of course of the observance of a nationally recognized mathematical holiday, I speak of Pi Day.
Pi is a mathematical constant; a remarkable number which never ends nor repeats, and is primarily connected to computations for circles. And not, I think, coincidentally, is a homophone for something wonderfully fantastic, which is also a circle. Charts!!! Ah circular graphical representation of data...I kid or calf, sometimes I foal, depends on my mood. March is the third month, thus, begining with the month, the fourteenth of March is 3.14, pi. The year 2015 will be even excitingier with more pi! More pie!!!! I mean pi, yes pi mmmmmm pie ghggghhhgghghghghghghhghgggghhghgh.*
Anyhow, as law abiding citizens of the world, my house and neighbor participated in
*For those not familiar with my typed sound effects, the long gh combination is the sound Homer Simpson makes when he thinks about delicious things.
Graham Cracker Crust
7 whole graham crackers, coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Black Bottom
1/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Mousse
1 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1 generous cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 inch glass pie plate with spray oil. Blend graham crackers, melted butter and 2 Tablespoons sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Or, you just buy a prepared graham cracker crust like I did. It was cheaper than buying a box of crackers I wouldn't ever get around to eating.
While your crust is baking, or sitting on your table all prepackaged, in a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips, 2/3 cup cream, honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Microwave on medium for 2 minutes and whisk, if the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Pour the chocolate into the bottom of your now finished pie crust. Freeze for 10 minutes.
In another, or the same just cleaned, microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter and powdered sugar. Add 3/4 cup of cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Microwave for 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm. Because natural peanut butter is used, the oil will separate and you will wonder what this oily mess is you are looking at and wonder how it could ever become a lush peanut butter mousse, but never fear, the power of whipping cream is here!! According to the original recipe, these are the final steps to making the mousse: Whip the remaining cup of cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until very thick but not yet holding peaks; fold into peanut butter mixture in three additions. Our reality was slightly different. We were short on cream, but mixed it up and folded it into the peanut butter. Then we emptied the remnants of a spray can of whipped cream into the mousse and stirred until it looked good. Spoon over layer of chocolatey goodness. Chill in the fridge for an hour, or a day, or whatever your patients will allow within that time range.
If you are so inclined, you can garnish the top with drizzles of chocolate and sprinkles of peanuts.
There are irrefutable laws in the world: the law of gravity, the nucleus of elemental iron contains 26 protons, butterscotch is gross always, energy can neither be created or destroyed - really one could go on and on listing the various laws that govern the natural world. But I do not want to highlight any of these natural laws (except for maybe the law listed third); no, this post is about another law. A law which is equally significant in all our lives. I speak of course of the observance of a nationally recognized mathematical holiday, I speak of Pi Day.
Pi is a mathematical constant; a remarkable number which never ends nor repeats, and is primarily connected to computations for circles. And not, I think, coincidentally, is a homophone for something wonderfully fantastic, which is also a circle. Charts!!! Ah circular graphical representation of data...I kid or calf, sometimes I foal, depends on my mood. March is the third month, thus, begining with the month, the fourteenth of March is 3.14, pi. The year 2015 will be even excitingier with more pi! More pie!!!! I mean pi, yes pi mmmmmm pie ghggghhhgghghghghghghhghgggghhghgh.*
Anyhow, as law abiding citizens of the world, my house and neighbor participated in
*For those not familiar with my typed sound effects, the long gh combination is the sound Homer Simpson makes when he thinks about delicious things.
Graham Cracker Crust
7 whole graham crackers, coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Black Bottom
1/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Mousse
1 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1 generous cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 inch glass pie plate with spray oil. Blend graham crackers, melted butter and 2 Tablespoons sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Or, you just buy a prepared graham cracker crust like I did. It was cheaper than buying a box of crackers I wouldn't ever get around to eating.
While your crust is baking, or sitting on your table all prepackaged, in a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips, 2/3 cup cream, honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Microwave on medium for 2 minutes and whisk, if the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Pour the chocolate into the bottom of your now finished pie crust. Freeze for 10 minutes.
In another, or the same just cleaned, microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter and powdered sugar. Add 3/4 cup of cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Microwave for 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm. Because natural peanut butter is used, the oil will separate and you will wonder what this oily mess is you are looking at and wonder how it could ever become a lush peanut butter mousse, but never fear, the power of whipping cream is here!! According to the original recipe, these are the final steps to making the mousse: Whip the remaining cup of cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until very thick but not yet holding peaks; fold into peanut butter mixture in three additions. Our reality was slightly different. We were short on cream, but mixed it up and folded it into the peanut butter. Then we emptied the remnants of a spray can of whipped cream into the mousse and stirred until it looked good. Spoon over layer of chocolatey goodness. Chill in the fridge for an hour, or a day, or whatever your patients will allow within that time range.
If you are so inclined, you can garnish the top with drizzles of chocolate and sprinkles of peanuts.
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