PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BEAN BISCOTTI

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bean Biscotti, though not a replacement for the sandwich, is a decadent delite you just might want to try.

According to Wikipedia

The peanut butter and jelly sandwich or PB&J is a sandwich, popular in North America, that includes a layer of peanut butter and either jelly or jam on bread, commonly between two slices, but sometimes eaten open-faced or with one slice folded over.

A 2002 survey showed the average American will have eaten 2,500 of these sandwiches before graduating from high school.

History of PB&J

In the early 1900s, peanut butter was considered a delicacy that was only served in New York City's finest tearooms. The product was first paired with a diverse set of foods such as pimento,nasturtium, cheese, celery, watercress, and on toasted crackers.  In a Good Housekeeping article published in May 1896, a recipe "urged homemakers to use a meat grinder to make peanut butter and spread the result on bread.  In June of that same year, the culinary magazine Table Talk published a "peanut butter sandwich recipe.  The first reference of peanut butter paired with jelly on bread to be published in the United States was by Julia Davis Chandler in 1901 in the Boston Cooking-School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics. By the late 1920s, this sandwich eventually moved down the class structure as the price of peanut butter dropped. It became popular with children. During World War II, it is said that both peanut butter and jelly were found on U.S. soldiers' military ration list.

And the rest is history.

These Peanut Butter and Jelly Bean Biscotti, use jelly beans instead of jelly, as jelly would be liquefied by the heat of the oven, run out and burn.  They are beautiful, nice peanut butter color with vibrant fruit red.

These are a bit DIFFERENT and not on my fist choice list, but I don’t really like jelly beans, so who cares about my opinion.

And

These might just be the way to get you kids to eat Biscotti.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BEAN BISCOTTI RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup light creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed        
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract      
• 3/4 cup of jelly beans (grape, strawberry or cherry)   
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup peanut butter powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda           
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt            

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in center of oven and preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray, set aside.
3. In a bowl beat peanut butter,butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.  Add the jelly beans and mix until combined.
4. In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and peanut butter powder,whisk by hand until well combined.
5. Add wet mix to dry mix and blend by hand until just combined. Turn out onto floured surface and knead briefly until everything comes together.
6. Divide the dough in half, and then shape each half into an 8" log.
7. Place logs on prepared cookie sheet, spacing 2" - 3" apart, then flatten each into a half cylinder about 3" in wide.
8. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until firm and starting to crack on top.  Reduce oven to 275 degrees F.
9. Cool in pan, until cool enough to handle. Transfer to cutting board and cut each log diagonally into ¾ inch thick slices using a sharp serrated knife.
10. Place biscotti, upright on baking sheets and return to oven for 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.
11. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
12. Cool completely and store in air tight container to keep fresh. 

Return from Peanut Butter and Jelly Bean Biscotti to:

• Decadent Biscotti Recipe Collection
• Holiday Biscotti Recipe Collection
• Making Biscotti