Peanut Butter and Jelly Slice

When I'm standing in front of a counter of a cafe, trying to decide if I want a cake, slice, tart or cookie, my choices are often down to either a slice or a tart. For some odd reason, they seem to look more appealing. I glance at the pastry, and the filling and conclude that anything with different texture will make my money more worth it than a cake with a single flavour.

There is also something about a slice that makes it ok to have a small piece. Nothing says that about a cake. You just have to have a large slice right? Well, that's the deceiving factor of a slice- we usually have more than just a small bite.

I came across this peanut butter and jelly slice and know I just have to make it. Not many people can resist that combination- myself included. I did not grow up with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches though- being in an Asian household, sandwiches are more often made out of Kaya (coconut jam) or pork floss (dehydrated pork) with butter- kinda like a fairy bread except it's more savoury than sweet.  In fact, at one point, I was puzzled by why jam is called "jelly"- before I realised they meant the same thing in the context of a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

I was invited to a housewarming party and packed these little babies in a box with a  ribbon as part of our gift to the new home owner. It was sticky, warm and sweet- just what we need on a cold winter night.

Peanut Butter and Jam Slice (Source from Taste.com)
100 grams butter melted
1/3 brown sugar
1 cup of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of strawberry jam
a tin of condensed milk (I used 97% fat free)
1/3 cup peanut butter with no sugar and salt
3/4 cup toasted peanuts

Preheat Oven to 180C and line a slice pan.

Make base- mix butter, brown sugar, plain flour and baking powder together. Press mixture into tin and bake for around 15 minutes till brown. Cool

Topping- mix condense milk, peanut butter and toasted peanuts together.

Spread strawberry jam/jelly on to the base. Then top it with the condense milk/peanut butter mixture. Return to oven and bake for further 30 mins. Slice, lick fingers and serve.