Homemade Pop Tarts

   

There’s just something about a toaster pastry!  They hold the nostalgia of childhood breakfasts and convenient, sweet treats. An iconic pastry with flaky crusts and gooey fillings; they can evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity; often linked to specific childhood memories, like pulling a warm treat from the toaster and enjoying them with a favorite movie. Here’s a way to have that same childhood nostalgia with more adult flavours.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

  • 2 boxes of Frozen Pastry Crust (We used Pillsbury Pie Crusts - 400g)
  • 1 jar of WD Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
  • 1 glass 1/2 full of water

 

For the Icing:

  • 1 C Icing Sugar
  • 2 - 3 Tbl Heavy Cream or Half & Half
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • Sprinkles (Optional ... but also necessary)

 

Directions:
Measuring out your “tarts”:

We created a template for our pastries with a 1/4 cut of an 81/2” x 11” piece of paper. Unroll 1 of the pastry circles (there are 2 in each box) and use the template to cut out 2 rectangles. 

With the top and bottom cuts of the pastry, wet your finger with water, and run that down one of the edges on the extra pastry, piece them together and press lightly on the seam and cut to the template for a 3rd rectangle. You should end up with 6 tops and 6 bottoms.  Save the scraps of dough to the side.

 

Line your cookie tray with parchment paper or a silicone matt and lay out your 6 bottoms.  Spread 2 spoons full of jam onto the bottoms, leaving a 1/4” around the edges.  With a fork, poke 3 sets of holes onto your tops.  Running a wet finger along the sides of your  bottoms, place the tops on and lightly press to seal.  Then crimp up the sides so that the jammy goodness stays inside.
 
Once all of your pastries have been constructed, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for a minimum of 2 hours. 
When you are ready to bake; make sure your oven rack is in the centre and preheat your oven to 375F.  
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the tray and bake for another 15 minutes.  Pastry should be golden and firm.
 
When they’ve cooled completely, mix the icing together and ice each of your pastries.  Sprinkle with your decorations of choice and let the icing harden at room temperature.  
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week and reheat in your toaster when the mood fancies.  Enjoy with a cuppa tea or coffee.
OH!  Don't forget about the scraps!!!

While your “Pop-Tarts” are baking, gather up the leftover scraps and roll them out, it’s OK if it turns into a random shape.  In a bowl, mix 1/4 C granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of Ground Cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp of Ground Cardamom; spread soft butter over the rolled-out pastry and sprinkle with the sugar mixture over top.  
Roll that up like a Cinnamon Bun and cut into 1” slices.  When the “Pop-Tarts” come out of the oven, bake your pinwheels for 20 minutes.  Once cooled, you can ice these with any of the pastry icing you have left over, or you can enjoy them on their own.
   
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