People who grew up in the U.S. are bound to have strong memories of peanut butter and jelly. The sandwich, normally Wonder or wheat bread with grape jelly and either chunky or creamy peanut butter, was a cheap way for parents to feed us for lunch during elementary school, and a fun after-school snack. Really, though, PB&J has never been anything gourmet, until now.
Pastry chef Sharon Wang previously worked for Thomas Keller and now runs Sugarbloom Bakery in Los Angeles, making next-level baked goods like the PB&J Croissant Muffin ($4) for area coffeehouses, and someday, a storefront. Flaky, buttery coils of caramelized croissant dough cradle creamy peanut butter and grape jelly, which oozes from both ends. Up top, you’ll find more peanut butter, roasted peanuts and bursting champagne grapes. If they’re good enough for bubbly, they’re clearly good enough for a muffin.
Sugarbloom Bakery pastries are available at Taza: A Social Coffee House, Blacktop Coffee, and Stumptown Coffee, which is where I enjoyed this terrific take on PB&J.
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