Homemade Pop Tarts

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 -1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste
• 4 teaspoons flour
• 1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling

Recipe

• 1 make the dough:
• 2 whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• 3 work in the butter until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it, with pecan-sized lumps of butter still visible.
• 4 mix the egg and milk, and add it to the dough, mixing just until everything is mixed.
• 5 divide the dough in half; each half will weigh about 10 ounces.
• 6 shape each half into a rough 3" x 5" rectangle, smoothing the edges.
• 7 roll out immediately; or wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• 8 make the filling:
• 9 whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
• 10 assemble the tarts:
• 11 if the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes.
• 12 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".
• 13 (laying a 9" x 13" pan atop the dough will give you an idea if you’ve rolled it large enough.).
• 14 trim off the edges; place the scraps on a baking sheet, and set them aside, along with the 9" x 12" rectangle of dough.
• 15 roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first.
• 16 press the edge of a ruler into the dough you’ve just rolled, to gently score it in thirds lengthwise and widthwise; you’ll see nine 3" x 4" rectangles.
• 17 beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the dough.
• 18 place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle.
• 19 place the second sheet of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around each pocket of jam, sealing the dough well on all sides.
• 20 press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle.
• 21 cut the dough evenly in between the filling mounds to make nine tarts.
• 22 press the cut edges with your fingers to seal, then press with a fork, to seal again.
• 23 gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
• 24 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.
• 25 refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°f.
• 26 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.
• 27 while the tarts are chilling, bake these trimmings for 13 to 15 minutes, till they’re golden brown.
• 28 remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 25 to 35 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown.
• 29 remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan.
• 30 variations: instead of brown sugar and cinnamon, fill the tarts with a tablespoonful of chocolate chips.
• 31 or with jam filling: 3/4 cup (8 ounces) raspberry jam.
• 32 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water.
• 33 to make the 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. use to fill the pastry tarts.