Homemade Pop Tarts
Homemade Pop Tarts
These were great!
Ingredients
Pastry
- 2 cups 8 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks or 8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons 1 ounce milk
- 1 additional large egg to brush on pastry
Cinnamon Filling (enough for 9 tarts)
- 1/2 cup 3 3/4 ounces brown sugar
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to taste
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg to brush on pastry before filling
Jam Filling
- 3/4 cup 8 ounces jam
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Alternate fillings
- 9 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 9 tablespoons Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut paste
- 9 tablespoons of a delight of your choice such as salted caramel or a nut paste
Instructions
To Make the Dough
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it.
- If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary.
- Divide the dough in half (approximately 8 1/4 ounces each), shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches.
- You can roll this out immediately or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To Make Cinnamon Filling
- Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
To Make Jam Filling
- Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.
Roll and Cut Pastry Rectangles
- Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9″ x 13″ pan, laid on top, as guidance.]
- Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside.
- Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.
Apply Filling and Assemble
- Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it.
- Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides.
- Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle.
- Repeat with remaining tarts.
Pan and Chill Tarts (prior to baking)
- Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries.
- Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes.
Bake Dough Trimming Treats (optional)
- Sprinkle the dough trimmings with cinnamon-sugar; these have nothing to do with your toaster pastries, but it’s a shame to discard them, and they make a wonderful snack.
- While the tarts are chilling, bake these trimmings for 13 to 15 minutes, till they’re golden brown.
Bake Tarts
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Remove the tarts from the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown.
- Cool in pan on rack.
Notes
Found Online at: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/