homemade pop-tarts

So... I was going to post this a couple hours ago, but then there was a thunderstorm! And the power went out! It rained for maybe 10 minutes, but the power was out for like an hour and a half. It was great. But now the power is back, so the show can go on! And I could not go to bed tonight and live with myself if I didn't tell you guys all about this amazingly delicious homemade version of Pop Tarts. You know, Pop Tarts? I think everyone (who lives in America or who has visited) has had one. They're not really that good, but they have a lot of flavors so you can usually find something somewhat decent. The really good ones are usually the ones who also have like, half a cup of sugar per serving which is horrendous! Or you can choose to get the "reduced fat" kind which doesn't even have frosting, and that just tastes horrendous. Well, I can promise you these taste so much better than any Pop Tart you've ever tasted. And they're probably better for you because they're made with REAL butter as opposed to partially hydrogenated artery cloggers, and half whole-wheat flour, and a whole bunch of deliciousness. Not to mention they are adorable!

These are the strawberry kind I made, and I added some hot pink food coloring to the icing to make them distinguishable from the Nutella (!) version I made, and um, well, I just like pink. Pink food is fun! These are not nearly as difficult as you would imagine, and the result is out-of-this-world amazing. When you see how un-scary and un-hard these are, you won't want to get the prepackaged and never-expiring version for your kids anymore. At least not all the time? What can I say, I'm just a nutritional superhero, helping families make healthier choices every day. HA! Well, sometimes anyway. ;)

So,  this one is obviously the Nutella version. Yuummm! If you've ever baked with Nutella before, you know that it doesn't hold its creamy texture too well at high temperatures... well, it works perfectly in this case because the Nutella gets thicker and more PopTart-filling-y, and it's just so good. Nothing I can say can properly describe how amazing these are. Just make them. Then tell me all about it. :)

Homemade Pop-Tarts

Adapted from The Best of The Best Cookbook Recipes

Yields: 8 according to the book, 11 according to me!

for the Pate Brisee

1 cup white, unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoonfuls

2 egg yolks

4 tbsp cold milk

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flours, salt, and sugar for 10-15 seconds until combined. Scatter the pats of butter over the top. Mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture holds together when you clump it, and lumps are about the size of pecans.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once, then mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until the dough starts to come together. The book says it should be really shaggy, but mine was quite creamy... obviously both outcomes are okay because the recipe works anyway!

Dump the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, and gather it together into a tight mound. Using the palm of your hand, and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top and sliding all the way down, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough, and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each section of the dough, as needed, until the whole mess stays together with butter smears! This sounds really strange, but it makes more sense as you try to actually do it. It's actually very easy. Don't be scared!

Gather up the dough again, trying to make a roughly rectangular shape, about 1 inch thick, and wrap up in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using!

for the pop-tarts

1 batch Pate Brisee (recipe above)

1 egg, lightly beaten

desired fillings, such as different jams and Nutella

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and immediately divide it in half. Prepared a floured work area, and taking just one half of the dough at a time, roll it into a large rectangle, about 14x11 inches. If desired, use a paring knife to score even sections for your Pop Tarts on ONE sheet of dough. The book suggests making them about the size of index cards.

Brush the whole surface of the scored dough with the beaten egg. Spoon 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each "index card" you have pre-sectioned. Lay the second large rectangle of dough directly on top of the first, and, using your fingertips, carefully press all around the mound of filling, so that air comes out and the sheets adhere to each other. Using a pizza roller or ravioli roller, cut the Pop-Tarts apart following the scored lines. Place the Pop-Tarts on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, well-spaced. They do not spread much as they bake, but sometimes the filling overflows and gets the surrounding Pop-Tarts all messy! 

Bake for about 40 minutes, but check at the 30 minute mark, and often thereafter, as you don't wanna be like me and get extra-crispy Pop-Tarts. Unless you're into that... then, by all means, bake them as long as you want! Let the Pop-Tarts cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before frosting.

for the frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp water

food coloring and sprinkles for decorating (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, water, and vanilla until the glaze is smooth and pourable. If you desire, split into different bowls and add different colors of food coloring to each to reflect the filling!  After the pastries are finished cooling, drizzle the tops generously with the glaze, then immediately top with sprinkles. The glaze hardens quickly, so otherwise the sprinkles will not stick! Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving or storing. Enjoy!