There are few things that bring back childhood nostalgia quite like PB & J.  That simple brown-bagged sandwich recalls the days of learning to read, colour, and play nicely with others for academic credit.  For many of us, those were also the years of being teased, breaking limbs in some ridiculous way, and being dis-invited from a friend's Strawberry Shortcake-themed birthday party. 

To recreate the nostalgia without the baggage, this unique take on grandma's classic was shared with us by Gay Lea Foods to appreciate those childhood tastes in a new, grown-up way. There's no doubt about it: these are delicious!

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, yolk and vanilla for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix with a pastry knife or fork until well blended, then form into a smooth dough.


Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze 1-4 hours.  Once frozen, shred the dough with coarse grater or food processor. Return half of shredded dough to the freezer.

In a parchment paper-lined 9x13 pan, arrange remaining dough in an even layer and lightly pat down. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F (180C) or until lightly golden.  Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, combine peanut butter, icing sugar and butter in a small bowl or food processor until smooth. Spread over the shortbread base in an even layer.  In spoonfuls, divide the jam over the peanut butter layer.  Retrieve second portion of shredded dough from the freezer and sprinkle over jam layer.


Bake for 20 more minutes, or until golden brown.  Once cooled, cut into 24 bars and serve.
 
Tips:
 
* The shortbread is rich and buttery, and the flavours blend beautifully; however, the feature PB & J flavour can get a little lost.  To boost it, double the peanut butter to 1 cup and the icing sugar to 3/4 cup - it makes the filling richer and little more gooey.  Double the jam, according to your preference.

* For those with allergies, substitute almond, cashew or sunflower butter for the peanut butter.
 
* This dough making method is fool proof but time consuming.  Try a more traditional method for a speedier job: simply blend the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, cut in COLD butter with a pastry blender until the size of small peas, then add egg yolk and vanilla.  Spread half of the mixture into a lined pan, and place remaining dough to fridge.  Follow the rest of the recipe as directed.  The topping should be naturally crumbly, or it could be grated to form correct texture if necessary.
 
* These bars freeze really well, and are a great treat to take to a friend in need of a pick-me-up.


by Pam Derksen
all pictures by Pam Derksen