My last post introduced this week’s theme: reinventing childhood favorites. This post is going to play with the idea of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
In my opinion everyone has a childhood memory of this sweet and salty concoction. Whether they liked it or not, they will always remember it from their school days. I for example, cannot forget the memory of my mom surprising me with horrendous Cheese puff PB and J’s every Halloween with a note written in the wrapper making a cheesy pun on the “scary” flavor combination.
A girl just can’t shake the memory of her elementary-age self biting into a sandwich to find a soggy jelly covered cheese puff hanging out of her mouth.
Yet, here is my version on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I promise it is not going to include any cheesy junk food of any form. In fact, it isn’t even a sandwich anymore.
I decided to play with the idea of a peanut infused French toast with jelly syrup. Because if anything, I love taking the traditional idea of a food and completely messing it up. So here it is- my deconstructed PB and J sandwich.
Cream sauce optional
Take the melted peanut butter and slowly whisk in the milk. It will solidify to an extent, but it being melted will help with the first few stirs.
Add the vanilla, stir.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and sesame. Stir.
Add the eggs, stir until combined. Let the stale bread soak in the mixture on each side for a couple minutes.
Fry them with a knob of butter or with a tablespoon of oil. Cook a couple minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown.
*Hint
If for some reason the heat is initially too high and the sides cook too fast while the middle of the bread remains raw, fear not! Continue to cook until each side is golden brown and if they are still a little too soft in the middle, pop them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. This can also be done in the oven at 350 ˚F. This will in a way sear the bread for the coloration you want, but then let the bread finish off in less drastic heat.
Finally take your jam and melt it in the microwave- do this in 20 second intervals while stirring. You should achieve a nice liquid. The above uses my dad’s homemade black grape jelly.
I thought that it could use a bit more liquid on top, so I added a last minute (optional) cream sauce made up of a tablespoon of marscapone, an Italian cream cheese, and enough milk to thin it out to the consistency of pudding.
Let me know how your French toast goes! I hope you like the combination of sweet and salty I’ve created.
