Inspired peanutbutter, banana and chocolate pie.

There is this desire isn’t there?

There’s got to be this desire.

You know... To add something to someone in this place. Not only to live our daily lives in enjoyment (even though this is important and filled with meaning in its own way). But I am certain there is this other thing.

Because we all have seen it, this world and how it has been made and filled with things that are good, even if those things often seem small or require our pursuit. And then some how there is this other stuff as well, things which are awful and that make people feel suffering, sometimes even on a daily basis. And so this contradiction, this existence of two things at the same time that seem to oppose each other, as if they could not be related in any way at all, actually manage to find common ground (and I don’t mean in a good way). They can exist at the same time and all the while we still live in this place where it is going on.

And then there are these people. All the ones who you know and then some others that you don’t know either. And they are with you in this, experiencing the contradiction in their own lives. Perhaps at times they may be living in some of the awfulness, more than you are, but then at other times they may see the wonder and they may feel joy all the way through them because for instance, they just got home and found a bouquet of pink and white peonies in their bedroom (thank you wonderful flat mate!).




And so, we are living our lives with people. Every day they are here and it is a good thing to be convinced that it is harder to enjoy your life without them. And then to realize that this would mean it is more ideal to enjoy life with people. And part of that, that with people, could mean making someone feel like one hundred dollars by elevating that person’s feelings above our own. Because imagine making someone feel as though you have chosen that they are more important to you than yourself. I’m telling you: one million dollars.

Of course being realistic about this means that we realize this is not how everyone thinks, ourselves included, and so boundaries are essential, but if it’s just us getting over the fact (even though this can be incredibly hard at times) that I would prefer something different, then aren’t we adding something to someone?

A small way, that should not be overlooked, to add something to someone is by making this pie for that someone.




We call this pie; Inspired. That is because when we were talking about what we should make for a friend of ours who was coming over for dessert, there were several moments of pure inspiration.

• Firstly, at some point within the discussions of the night my flat mate had named, SarahPie, we both thought of peanut butter, which is a challenge in Paris. My peanutbutter hunt became successful after 5 supermarchés. 4.16 euros. Not a bargain.

• The second burst of inspiration happened a few days before SarahPie when my flat mate called out from her bedroom, “we should put chocolate ganache on the base!” Followed by, “Inspiried.”

• Then there was this last minute inspiration when we were both standing over the tart shell looking down at the biscuit base with its set chocolate layer and we both knew something was missing. Peanutbutter…. Creamcheese…. Chocolate…. Biscuits… And then after a silence someone said, ‘Banana.’ Just one word and we knew we had a pie worthy to be made in a country that doesn’t indulge in pie, let alone seriously good tarts. And Charles, this is not a time to make a joke.

Inspired Peanutbutter, Banana and Chocolate Pie




1 packet of Anzac-type biscuits with chocolate on them
½ packet of super wine/petit beurre biscuits
¼ cup butter, melted
1 king sized block of chocolate
1 banana
250 grams cream cheese, room temperature so it has softened
150 grams peanut butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp milk
optional: vanilla ice cream accompaniment

There are two options to make the base. Either put all the biscuits in a processor and process until they are all broken up and resemble rough crumbs. However, you don’t want them to be really fine like flour. Pour the butter into the processor and process briefly until all the crumbs are wet. Or, if you don’t have a processor or you can’t be bothered cleaning it after, you can put all the biscuits into a plastic bag and beat the bag with a rolling pin until they like look like rough crumbs. Then put them in a bowl and add the butter mixing really well to make sure the butter has soaked every crumb.




Butter and bake-paper-proof either a tart, pie or cake tin. Pour in the biscuit mixture and with a wooden spoon or dessertspoon pack down the mixture on the bottom and about an inch up the sides of the tin. You will need to make sure you have pressed it all down and up the sides very well so it is compacted. Meanwhile, melt your chocolate and once your base is nicely compressed (it will come together more once refrigerated), spread half the chocolate over the base of the tart. Put your tart shell in the fridge for around an hour for it all to solidify.

Get your pie shell out of the fridge and slice your banana onto the base of the pie.
In a bowl mix the cream cheese with the icing sugar until it is well incorporated and no longer lumpy. Add the peanut butter and mix until it has all combined. Add the milk just to loosen the mixture up a bit and mix well. Pour and carefully spread the peanut butter mixture over the banana, making sure you reach the sides of the pie shell.

With a teaspoon, drizzle the rest of the melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate has solidified and the pie has chilled.

Goes super well with a quality vanilla ice cream.