Homemade Pop-tarts

I don't know about you but I cannot count the number of Pop-tarts I have consumed in my life. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have survived both my freshman year of high school and college without Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pop-tarts. I'm definitely positive that one of my little brothers still lives on those as well. When we both still lived at home, we would fight over the last package of them. He loved to take the last pack and leave the box in the cupboard so that whenever I'd go to get a package I'd surely be disappointed. And disappointed I was. I mean they are just so good! In a delicious, processed, cardboardy tasting way.

Don't get me wrong, I still eat Pop-tarts on a pretty regular basis. But these guys were a nice break from the boxed goodies.

Homemade Pop-tarts
(Recipe from smitten kitchen)


Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. milk
*1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tsp. flour
1 large egg (to brush on pastry before filling)

Jam Filling:
3/4 cup jam
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. cold water


Cinnamon Filling Directions:
Whisk together sugar, cinnamon, and flour

Jam Filling Directions:
Mix jam with cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes, making sure to continually stir. Remove from heat, set aside to cool.

Pastry Dough Directions:
Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Work in butter using a pasty blender (or hands if you're more of the old fashioned type like myself) until you have pea-sized lumps and mixture holds together when you squeeze it. Whisk 1 egg and milk together, then add into dough, mixing JUST until everything starts coming together. Turn dough out onto well floured surface and knead for about 1 minute.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a small smooth rectangle (about 3x5 inches) and roll out immediately (see below) or wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Assembly:
If dough is chilled, allow to soften. Place one of the rectangles on lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll it into a large rectangle that is about 1/8" thick or large enough to trim down to a rectangle 9x12 inches. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cut each piece of dough to form nine 3x4 inch rectangles.

Beat the additional egg and using a pastry brush, brush egg over entire surface of first dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling (of your choice) into the middle of each rectangle, keeping about a 1/2 inch clean all the way around. Place a rectangle from the second set on top of the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket (this seals the dough well). Press the tines of a fork around the edges of the assembled raw Pop-tarts. Repeat with all tarts.

Gently place assembled Pop-tarts on a parchment lined or non-stick cooking mat lined baking sheet. Prick the top of all tarts multiple times with a fork (this is for escaping steam). Refrigerate tarts for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove tarts from fridge, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on pan on a cooling rack.

If you're heart so desires, make a basic powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar and milk) and drizzle over Pop-tarts. Or if you're feeling really ambitious, and want to put the boxed kind to shame, top with a buttercream or cream cheese frosting.