This Week's Recipe: Lucy Damkoehler's Peanut Butter & Concord Grape Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches

​Lucy Damkoehler grew up in Massachusetts baking bread with her father, tending to her family's large garden, and spending many fall day trips in Vermont orchards picking apples for cider. After attending the New England Culinary Institute, Damkoehler worked at Gramercy Tavern in New York City and Andaluca here in Seattle. As pastry chef at TASTE Restaurant, Damkoehler gets to return to her roots, featuring local and seasonal fruits in desserts such as her peanut butter and jelly ice cream sandwiches. "It's the perfect way to feature Washington's practically wild Concord grapes," says Damokoehler. "Concord grapes always remind me of early fall."

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches
Makes 16 ice cream sandwiches

(Note from Damkoehler: At TASTE Restaurant we serve these sandwiches with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate. There is a nice contrast between the cold sandwich and the hot drink. It would also be terrific with a strong cup of coffee or espresso.)

Peanut Butter Bread

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with pan spray and put aside. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. Scrape the batter down and add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Scrape the batter down again. In a separate bowl, mix the last 3 dry ingredients, then add to the butter-egg mixture. Mix until all the flour is incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spread smooth and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Concord Grape Ice Cream

1 pound concord grapes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vitamin C powder OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Line a 9-inch square pan with wax paper and set in your freezer.

In a blender, add the grapes, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vitamin C powder or lemon juice. Blend until little skin is left on the grapes, about two minutes. Strain and discard the skins, leaving behind just the juice. Pour the juice into a stainless-steel pot set over medium-high heat and reduce the liquid to half its volume. Cool the juice reduction quickly by setting the pot in a bowl with a bit of ice and water, then set it aside.

In another stainless-steel pot, add the milk and heavy cream, and heat until tiny bubbles appear around the rim, then remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and egg yolks. Slowly pour one third of the hot cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then return this mixture back into the pot. Return the pot to low heat, and slowly cook until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Take the ice-cream base mixture off the heat and strain through a fine mesh colander. Cool it down quickly using the same ice water procedure as the grape reduction.

Once the ice-cream base is cool, add the salt and cold grape-juice reduction. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pour the ice cream into the prepared pan and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Assembling the Sandwiches

Cut the peanut butter bread into 16 squares (4 inches x 4 inches). Take each square and cut lengthwise so there is a top and a bottom to the bar (this will create your "sandwich"). Take the ice cream out of the freezer and cut into 16 squares (4 inches x 4 inches). Place each ice cream square into the middle of each set of peanut butter bread squares. Wrap the sandwiches with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for at least two hours, and up to one week.