chocolate peanut butter icebox cake

I have had this recipe torn out for ages but, feared making it as I have quite a weakness for the peanut butter and chocolate combination.  I have been trying to clean out and organize my kitchen since the start of 2011.  During my reorganization of the pantry this weekend I stumbled upon a box of chocolate wafers that I intended to use over the holidays.  The wafers were a sign the icebox cake needed to be made.  The cream filling is a snap to pull together and is fluffy and creamy but, not overly sweet.  When I opened the wafer box to assemble the cake I came to realize many of my cookies were broken (boo!).  I was still able to piece together the cake like a culinary puzzle and use up all the wafers although the end product may not look as pretty as it should have.  Fear not because the broken cookies did not have an impact on the taste.  The cookies soften up from the cream filling over night and turn from delicate and crisy (or broken) to soft and cake like.  Both the kids had two slices and Carter actually licked his plate clean.  This is a keeper and will be a perfect treat on a warm summer night.

chocolate peanut butter icebox cake

source: everyday food

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (not unsalted)
1 box (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies
 

In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until soft and smooth; whisk in 1/2 cup cream until light and fluffy. Fold peanut-butter mixture into whipped cream until incorporated.

Dab the bottom of 6 cookies with a very small amount of cream mixture and arrange in a circle on a serving plate; place 1 cookie in the middle of circle. Top with cup cream mixture, spreading outward to cover all but outer edges of cookies. Repeat process five more times (staggering the cookie layers), ending with cream. Cut 3 cookies in half; decorate top of cake with cookie halves.

Refrigerate cake at least 8 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, cut into wedges with a serrated knife.