Pop tart pastry Ingredients (modified from Deb from the Smitten Kitchen)
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 sticks unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg for an egg wash
Fillings (see jam recipe above) or you can mix 3/4 cup brown sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour for a delicious, gooey cinnamon and brown sugar filling.
Instructions
1. Using a food processor mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter, sliced into tablespoon amounts, and pulse until you get pea sized butter bits, or until you can squeeze the mixture together to form a solid shape that stays together.
2. Move the mixture into a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer) and add the egg and milk. Mix until blended and knead if necessary
3. Divide into four equal sized rectangles. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to two days. You can use this time to prepare the fillings.
Note – This recipe will make 18 pop tarts (two rectangles provide the top and bottom for nine tarts). If you want to make the others later you can refrigerate the dough for a couple days or you can freeze it for up to a month.
4. Set dough out 15 minutes before rolling; roll out the first block of dough to about 9 x 12″; the dough will be roughly 1/8th inch thick.
5. Whisk the egg in a bowl to make an egg wash. Brush egg over the entire pastry. This is your bottom layer and the egg wash will act as a glue.
6. Divide the dough into thirds both height-wise and lengthwise so that you have nine 3 x 4″ pastries.
7. Place the pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Using about 2 tablespoons of which ever mixture you choose, place in the center of each tart, leaving about 1/2 inch all around. If using jam you’ll want to make sure your jam set very well and is very gelly, otherwise it will just run off all over the pastry and pan.
9. Roll out the second dough block. Don’t egg wash this one. Cut into thirds again so you have 9 more pastries (the top of each pop tart).
10. Place the pastry on top of those on the baking pan and press firmly around the edges to create a seal.
11. Using a fork, tooth pick, or skewer make ridges along the outside of the tart (on the half inch area you firmly pressed to seal to two tarts). Then prick a few holes in the top of each pastry.
12. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. If you are going to make the other nine pop tarts then you can go ahead and repeat the above steps.
13. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the tart is just golden and firm around the edges. Cool on the pan on cooling racks.
Like I said above, I’ve make blackberry, strawberry, and cinnamon and brown sugar and each has been delicious (my favorite is a tie between blackberry and the cinnamon sugar one). I’m going to also try blueberry soon so I will let you know how those turn out!
Also, these will last you about a week at room temperature (keep them in an airtight container)… and by will last I mean could potentially last if it wasn’t impossible not to eat all of them in a couple sittings.
