Homemade Pop Tarts

If you haven't heard, Kelloggs opened a Pop Tart store in Times Square of New York City.  This is exciting news. They are going to feature things like...Pop Tart "sushi".  I think that has something to do with pop-tart wrapped in a fruit roll-up? Anyway, it got me craving pop tarts and found this recipe for Homemade Pop Tarts on Smitten Kitchen website.

These turned out absolutely amazing.  I made cinnamon sugar pop tarts (my favorite) and Cherry pop tarts. They were a big hit with my family and boyfriend.  I would recommend eating them cold, I liked the pastry part a lot better when they were cold, but to each their own.  The pastry part was buttery and flaky and the center...well, that cinnamon sugar center sent me on a brief trip to heaven.

Homemade Pop Tarts

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


To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

To make jam filling:

1.) Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan.
2.) Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes.
3.) Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

Make the dough:

1.) Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.

2.) 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. *This is the easiest method, if you have a food processor, this dough will be made in no time.

3.)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.

Assemble the tarts:

1.) If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes.

2.) 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.

3.)Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.

4.) 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.

5.) Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it.

6.) 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.

7.)Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

8.) Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

9.)  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, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.