Peanut Butter Chess Pie

This is a favorite, from an issue of Bon Appetit at least 20 years ago. It had an article on various chess pies, of which the most renowned is pecan pie...but there are others!

The filling in this one is pure candy, and it'd be great in a chocolate wafer crust, or maybe with a layer of ganache under the peanut butter filling, if the lilies need gilding.

I am typing it in, because we came close to losing it once. Horrors! Also, it is well worth sharing!

Tidewater Peanut Pie

1 partially baked 9-inch pie shell

0.75 cups creamy peanut butter (we use natural, with or without salt)
0.5 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
0.33 (one third) cup light corn syrup
0.33 (one third) cup milk or evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt, optional- don't if you used salted PB

Preheat oven to 325F.

Melt peanut butter and butter in a heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and (optional) salt in a large bowl and mix well. Blend in peanut butter mixture. Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake until filling is puffed, about 1 hour and 20 min. Filling will still be quite soft.

Let pie cool to room temp before cutting and serving.