Elevating a Classic: “Peanut Butter & Jelly” Recipe with Homemade Bread Loaf & Fresh Jam

We all remember with fondness the PB&J, also known as the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.

Chef Andrew Moret, regional chef specialist for Oakmont, shares his amazing upgrade to this recipe for Homemade Berry Jam and Peanut Butter Bread. Don’t worry, you can try this at home and you must! The residents of Oakmont of Folsom did just that and they loved it.

Total Yield: 1 Loaf of Bread & 3 jars of Jam
Shelf Life: Bread – 3 days in an airtight container & Jam 3 weeks after opening, kept in refrigerator
Total Time: 1.5 hours
Recipe By: Chef Andrew Moret

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Bread

• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Loaded Berry Jam

• 1 pound any type of berry (Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, etc.)
• ½ cup Sugar
• 2 tbsp Acid of any kind (Lemon Juice, Cider Vinegar, Balsamic, etc.)
• 3-4 each 6oz Mason Jars with Lid – Cleaned & sanitized

Preparation:

Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. In a blender combine the milk, eggs, sugar, and peanut butter. Blend until smooth. Use a spatula or spoon if needed to scrape down the sides of the blender.
3. Add the salt, baking powder and all-purpose flour to the mixture. Pulse a few times until flour is incorporated you may need to scrape the sides down. Pulse as little as possible just enough to combine everything smooth but don’t over mix.
4. Pour batter into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean.
5. Let the bread rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Jam

1. Macerate (or marinate) the Berries in sugar in a bowl for 15 minutes. Every five minutes give the berries smash the berries using a fork or whisk.
2. Once the berries have formed a natural syrup, add to a heavy bottomed sauce pot with the acid and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Turn the jam mixture to medium heat and continue to simmer, skim any impurities that form to the top.
4. Allow the jam to cook down constantly stirring to prevent it from sticking and burning. The jam should start to get thick and bubble more quickly.
5. To tell if the jam is ready, take about a tablespoon, spoon it onto a cold plate & let cool. Drag the back of a spoon through the jam and if the jam stays separated it is ready to jar.
6. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks & Enjoy!

Try these variations using the same recipe method:

Strawberry Balsamic – Use all Strawberries and use Balsamic Vinegar for the acid

Blueberry Black Pepper – Use all blueberry and add a hefty amount of fresh cracked black pepper.

Raspberry Habanero – Use Raspberries and Minced Habanero pepper (amount based on heat preference)

Blackberry Vanilla – Add 1 vanilla bean pod during cooking halved and scraped