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Homemade
Pop-Tarts®: First,
to make all the Pop-Tarts®
the same size, I like to make a template. Take a piece of parchment
paper and draw a rectangle measuring 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23 cm). Then
divide the rectangle into 8 - 3 x 4 1/2 inch (7.5 x 11.5 cm)
rectangles. (This recipe will give you four Pop-Tarts®.)
Pastry: In
your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles
coarse meal (about 10 seconds). Sprinkle about
2-3 tablespoons of water over the flour mixture and process the dough
just until it holds together when pinched. (You don't want a solid
ball of dough.) If necessary, add more water.
Then take your template, turning the parchment paper over so the template
is on the bottom, and scatter the pieces of dough within the borders of the
12 x 9 inches (30 x 23 cm) rectangle (See Video for
demonstration). Cover with a second piece of parchment and, using the template as a
guide, roll
the pastry to a even thickness. Periodically check the top and bottom sheets of
parchment and smooth out any wrinkles. Then slide the pastry, along with the parchment paper,
onto a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until the pastry is firm (about 30
- 60 minutes).
Once chilled,
remove from refrigerator and peel off the top piece of parchment paper. Take a
pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife and
cut the pastry into 8 - 3 x 4 1/2 inch (7.5 x 11.5 cm) rectangles, using
the template as a guide.
Next, place four
of the rectangles of pastry on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. These will
be the bottoms of your
Pop-Tarts®. With a pastry brush, brush the outside edges
of the rectangles with the beaten egg. Place a heaping tablespoon of jam in the
center of each rectangle. Place a second rectangle of pastry on top of the
first. Use your fingertips to gently press down the edges of the top rectangle
of pastry to the bottom pastry. Then, with the floured tines of a fork, seal the
edges. Cover and place the baking sheet of unbaked
Pop-Tarts® in the refrigerator
to chill.
Meanwhile, preheat
your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), with the oven rack in the center
position.
Remove the
Pop-Tarts® from the refrigerator and brush the tops of the
pastries with the egg
wash. Using a toothpick or the tines of a fork, prick the tops of the
Pop-Tarts®
as this will prevent the pastry from puffing up during baking. Bake for about
28-30 minutes or until the
Pop-Tarts® are nicely browned around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a
wire rack to completely cool.
Glaze:
While the
Pop-Tarts® are cooling, in a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with
the vanilla extract and just enough milk (or cream) to make a smooth and
spreadable glaze. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the cooled
pastries with the glaze. If desired, sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Let the
Pop-Tarts® sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes to allow the glaze to
dry.
The
Pop-Tarts® can
be stored, in an air tight container, at room temperature, for about 2-3 days, or
they can be frozen.
Makes four
Pop-Tarts®.
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