Sunday, August 15, 2010

Blueberry Pop-Tarts

Homemade pop-tarts had become just like sugar cookie bars. They were everywhere, calling out to me, insisting that I try making them. There are several different recipes, and really, you can make any pie pasty and cut it into rectangles and fill them however you’d like. I decided to follow the Bon Appetit recipe from last April’s issue. It’s a simple enough process, but you do need to make sure your rectangles are pretty similar in size so they can be sandwiched and crimped together easily. This particular dough is a sticky one, so if you make this one, refrigerate or freeze the pieces for a few minutes between steps to make them more manageable. For a filling, I had just what I needed in the freezer. Last month, there were Texas blueberries in our CSA delivery, and I had cooked them with some lemon juice and cornstarch thinking they would eventually become a tart filling of some kind. You could also use your favorite jam or preserves from a jar for a filling. Then, you can wake up on a Saturday morning and have pop-tarts for breakfast while watching tv. I watched Anne Burrell on the FoodNetwork instead of the Smurfs, and these pop-tarts were on another level compared to ones from the box that I remember, but it was still a nostalgic Saturday morning.

So, I mentioned this dough was sticky. I actually rolled it between pieces of parchment paper. I left the parchment in place and cut it into big rectangles and let that chill for a bit. Then, I measured and cut the final, smaller rectangles and removed the parchment as I filled each tart. For pastry rectangles that were about five inches by three inches, you should use a tablespoon and a half of filling. Pressing the edges with a fork worked better on tarts that had been chilled first, but dipping the fork in flour helped it not to stick to the dough as well. Last, each tart was pierced with a skewer a few times to allow steam to escape while baking. The formed tarts should be placed in the freezer for at least two hours before baking, and they go straight to the oven from the freezer.

The Bon Appetit version shows the pop-tarts dusted with confectioner’s sugar. That’s one option. I also considered going all the way with a white frosting and sprinkles. In the end, I just brushed on an egg wash and sprinkled sanding sugar over the tarts before baking. The pastry was rich and flaky and the filling was fruity and just sweet enough. This could become a Saturday morning habit all over again.



38 comments:

  1. you got me interested - these look great - I too have seen these everywhere - I wonder how good or if they would be good popped in a toaster the next day....

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  2. Doggy: The pastry is pretty flaky and tender. I don't think they would hold up to toasting. They could be toasted flat in a toaster oven, but I think a spring-loaded, regular toaster would break them.

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  3. Like you, I have seen versions of pop tarts and wanted to make them! Unlike you, I have never gotten around to it! I think it is a pastry dough thing for me... I will go way out of my comfort zone for some things, but pastry dough somehow keeps me freaked out and paralyzed!!! So silly - I need to jump in! The water's fine! Ur pop tarts look delicious and wonderful! (Wish my CSA gave me blueberries... Do you mind sharing which one you use here in Austin? Are they year round?)Thanx! Great post!

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  4. Delicious! Those look so irresistible!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. UrMomCooks: I use Farmhouse Delivery, and they are year-round. They deliver to your door, and you can add dairy, meats, pastries, breads, eggs.

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  6. Oh yummy, delicious poptart will be a favorite among children.

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  7. They look delicious. I had never thought of baking these but will have to now after seeing this. I'm new here and really like your blog with all the great recipes!

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  8. Love the pastry. Looks very crumbly and crispy. Bet needs lots of tender loving care to handle it. I'm sure it's very delicious....mmmm.

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  9. Seriously, what is it about pop tarts? I can actually smell these toasting just from your images and description. I always feel embarrassed to admit that I love them (same way I'm embarrassed to admit I love Cheetos but eh, there it is) but making them from scratch seems noble, and definitely worth the effort. I've been breaking into my frozen blueberries already (the ones I put up to eat this winter -- can't help it, blueberry season is long past here and they're so good!) and this seems like a worthy cause for thawing out a batch.

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  10. I've always wanted to try poptarts from scratch, but never seem to get to it. I was always thinking either the s'mores, chocolate or brown sugar. My mom had to start buying those for me as a kid because I got sick of frosted strawberry lol However, would you believe I never had a blueberry poptart? I will never buy them because I seeing yours has made me want to make them asap. They look incredible..and even more perfect and lovely than the factory formed! Also, I'm in lust with your fried chicken below. Will be doing lots of bookmarking here :)

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  11. This is a great remake of the ones that I used to eat in college. I'm enticed by the flaky crust and fresh jammy filling.

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  12. having just seen a post reporting about a restaurant serving only pop-tart-themed foods, i'm suddenly interested in all things pop-tart-related. these are magnificent!

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  13. My mom never allowed us to have Pop Tarts. We could have candy bars for dessert and we always had ice cream and cookies in the house but she drew the line at sugary cereals and Pop Tarts. Consequently, I ate a lot of them in my early 20's. I know these would taste amazing and my boys would love them (I don't buy the "other" kind for them) but they just might be too much trouble for me.

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  14. These look so good I can almost taste them now. So much better than those mass-produced ones we ate as a kid that tasted only of sugar.

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  15. This is a healthier and I bet a more delicious pop tart than store-bought!

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  16. These homemade ones look MUCH MUCH BETTER than the store bought ones! They look so good!

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  17. Looks like a habit I could love too. So much better than store bought.

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  18. I'm totally loving all the blueberry deliciousness this summer, like your pop tarts.

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  19. A homemade pop tart will change your life. Who needs the new pop tart store in NY if you can make your own?

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  20. oh yum. And I'd never have thought to freeze pie-filling, so I'm stealing that idea :D

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  21. Just stumbled these amazing blueberry pop tarts girl! They look delicious----nothing like home made :)

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  22. What a wonderful sounding recipe - this looks like such a tasty treat.

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  23. I've got a few of these pop tarts recipes bookmarked. I have so many kinds of fancy jams that are wasting away in my larder, this is the perfect recipe for them.
    *kisses* HH

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  24. Homemade poptarts sound so good, I love the blueberry filling!

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  25. I've never thought about making homemade pop tarts, but what a fun idea! I just met you on Foodbuzz, nice to meet you, I will definitely be back to your blog!

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  26. I made some pop tarts recently as well, and the pastry is just so flaky and yummy!

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  27. Wow, homemade pop tarts...look so pretty and yummie...nice treat :-)

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  28. I grew up loving poptarts and have been thinking of making them for a long time but haven't yet. Yours look so scrumptious - makes me feel like I should be turning on cartoons, you know what I mean? Delicious! And I think the egg wash and sugar before baking is really the best. Perfect, Lisa.

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  29. I have seen homemade pop tarts everywhere lately but I have to say, your filling sounds most appealing to me. Always good to have a hit of nostalgia on a Saturday morning, don't you think?

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  30. I've seen pop tarts popping out of everywhere too, and yours look super YUM! thanks for all the tips,and how lucky that you had some filling in the freezer... nom nom nom!!

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  31. These pop tarts look wonderfully crisp and delicious!

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  32. Beautiful looking pop-tarts. I agree, they're literally everywhere!

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  33. they look very tasty - crispy and fruity. I would like to have one now :)

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  34. I have to admit that i alwasy thought making pop tarts at home was impossible. Yours look so professional that I might pick up the courage and give these a try. My girls love pop tarts and it is delicious with the blueberry inside.

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  35. There was a time, that I am not proud of, when I practically lived on pop-tarts! I'm swooning over these. So crave-worthy!

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  36. I love how much filling you got in them - they look perfect!

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  37. These look amazing Lisa! I saw some of the recipes and they looked really good. Yours look wonderful! :D

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