I'm going to tell you something now, and I want you to not freak out too much. You know that childhood staple known as the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich? Well, the first time I tried it was when I was 18 years old.
It's true. Due to a jam aversion on SpyMom's part (I know, odd but true) I never had the classic sandwich combo, instead growing up eating crunchy Skippy peanut butter, no jelly, on rye bread (the kind with no caraway seeds). I realize this may sound odd, but I didn't know there could be another way.
But then, in college, upon learning that I'd never sampled the classic combo, some friends whipped me up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wonder bread. And to me, it tasted...sweet. But it wasn't quite right: it was almost-dessert, but masquerading as a sandwich. Honestly, I didn't care for it.
However, what I discovered is that when you embrace that sweetness and take it to the next level--namely, by using pound cake instead of bread, and then pan-frying the whole thing, you get a sweet sandwich that is comfortable being served a la mode, and deliciously decadent and indulgent.
Here's how you can make it happen at home.
Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly Poundcake Sandwiches
Makes about 6 sandwiches (can be cut into fourths for more delicate appetites)
- 1 pound cake loaf (I used an iced lemon pound cake from Metropolitan Market)
- 1 stick of butter
- 12 tablespoons peanut butter (2 per sandwich); I used Peanut Butter and Co.'s The Bee's Knees
- 6 tablespoons jam or preserves of your choice (1 tablespoon per sandwich)
Procedure
- Prepare your sandwiches. Cut the loaf into 12 slices (can do more or less depending on how thick you'd like the sandwiches).
- Pair two slices together; apply one tablespoon of peanut butter to each side. Add jam to one side, and then sandwich them together, so that the filling is contained in the sandwich. Repeat with the remaining slices of pound cake until you have 6 sandwiches. Put the plate of prepared sandwiches in the refrigerator while you prepare the next step.
- In a medium frying pan, melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once bubbling, remove your sandwiches from the fridge. Apply a smear of butter to the top side, and place the sandwich in the frying pan, non-buttered side down. After about 1-2 minutes, or when the bottom has turned golden, flip the sandwich using a metal spatula (silicone ones don't work as well, as the sandwiches can get a little sticky and want to adhere themselves to the bottom of the pan) and fry the second side (the second side will take slightly less time). If you have room, you can do two sandwiches at one time in the pan.
- Remove from the frying pan and set on paper towels to blot the excess butter. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
- Serve immediately; if desired, with a scoop of ice cream on the side.
