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I hosted my first “Instant Pot Party” recently for a few friends that wanted some pointers on how to make the most out of their appliance.  One of my friends wanted to make a peanut butter cheesecake, and already had a recipe in mind.  Having made that same recipe before with some changes, I told her the changes that I recommended on the recipe.  Surprisingly, she trusted me enough to go along with them.  Not only was she pleased with the results, but she asked me to document the adjusted recipe so that she could have it handy.

You can add chocolate chips to the peanut butter cheesecake if you want and it doesn’t affect the cook time.  I prefer smooth cheesecakes, so I typically leave them out unless I am bringing the cheesecake to a group event.  Cheesecakes always taste best after they sit in the fridge for at least a day, so be sure you plan on making this at least a day in advance.

Prepare your crust, press it into your prepared cheesecake pan, and then pop it into the freezer while you prepare your cheesecake batter.  Start with the cream cheese and sugar.  Cream it with your electric mixer until fluffy, then mix in the eggs.  Next, add the peanut butter and vanilla extract, then mix until just combined.  Pour the batter into your cheesecake pan, place the pan on a trivet, then lower it into your pressure cooker filled with about 1 1/2 cups of simmering water.  Cook on Manual for 23 minutes, then natural release for 12 more minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure and removing the peanut butter cheesecake from the pressure cooker.

When the cheesecake is completely cool, you’ll want to refrigerate it for several hours before removing it from the pan.  At this point, you can make the ganache.  I make it by heating my cream and chocolate in the microwave in 20-second bursts until the chocolate is almost completely melted, then let it melt the rest of the way while I stir.  If you prefer to make ganache the traditional way, just bring your cream to a boil on the stove, pour the boiling cream over your chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl, then stir until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is creamy.  Let the ganache sit until it’s fairly thick, but still pourable.  This is what will get you those attractive drips when you pour it over the cheesecake.

As a finishing touch, you can garnish with mini peanut butter cups.  You can also chop them up and sprinkle them on top of your peanut butter cheesecake.

You can also double the cheesecake ingredients and oven-bake this in a 9in round springform pan if you’re feeding a crowd.  Bake in a hot water bath at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the center is only slightly jiggly.

Pressure Cooker Peanut Butter Cheesecake

(Adapted from this recipe from Pressure Cooking Today)

Ingredients

• 1 cup crushed Oreo crumbs
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 16oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• peanut butter cups for garnish (optional)

Directions

Grease a 7in round cheesecake pan.  Mix the Oreo crumbs and melted butter until the crumbs are moistened all the way through.  Press the mixture onto the bottom of your prepared cheesecake pan, then freeze until ready to use.

Cream the sugar and cream cheese using an electric mixer.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.  Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and continue mixing until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips, if using.  Pour mixture into your prepared baking pan.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the liner of your electric pressure cooker, then set to the Saute/Browning setting.  When the water comes to a simmer, set your cheesecake on a trivet and lower it into the pressure cooker.  Cover, seal, and change the setting to cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 23 minutes.  When the time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.  Remove the cheesecake from the pressure cooker and allow to cool completely, then refrigerator at least 4 hours.

Place heavy cream and bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish or measuring cup.  Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring gently between intervals, until the chocolate is almost completely melted, then continue stirring until the chocolate melts completely.  Allow mixture to cool until thick before pouring onto your peanut butter cheesecake, then garnish with peanut butter cups if desired.

Makes about 8 servings.