Handmade Pop Tarts

Pop Tarts were the best to enjoy when it comes out of the toaster, warm and sweet, with a glass of cold milk. That was one of the best afternoon treats after school. I thought I would want to recreate this sweet treat by giving the crust a crumbly texture and filling them up with everything I want!

Buttermilk Pie Dough
1 1/4c all purpose flour
1tbs white sugar
1/2tsp salt
1/2c Butter (cold)
1/4c Buttermilk
*I choose to use buttermilk because it offers a undertone of sourness, when helps to bring out more flavours when its combined with jam, nut butters or chocolate. If you don’t have buttermilk handy, you can either put a teaspoon of lemon juice in your regular milk and let it sit for ten minutes before adding to the mixture. Or you can substitute buttermilk with any other dairy in the kitchen.

1. Mix all dry ingredients together
2️. Cut the cold butter into the dry until the butter is in pea size, add the buttermilk in and use your hands to gather all the dry ingredients together by pushing the wet into the dry and forming it into a ball
3️. Once it's all together, flatten it into a square and put it into the fridge for 3 hours
*You may do this the night before to save time!

4️. After resting, roll the dough out to 14''W x 8''L with a little flour on the working surface. Turn it upside down when it's ready, to ensure the dough isn't shrinking on you!
5. Use a ruler to make a mark of 2.5’’ across the 14’’W. and cut them in half across the 8’’ L. You should now end up with 10 rectangles.
6. To make one pop tart, use one rectangle for filling, leaving half an inch of space clean for sealing! Use a fork to dock the other side (4-6 times) leaving half an inch of space to brush on water (or buttermilk), and put the side you have brushed facing down towards the filling, corner to corner. Use the fork to press lightly (not cutting through the dough but just enough pressure to seal the two rectangles together) around all the edges, about 1cm from the edge. Then use a knife to cut the extra dough and straighten the 4 edges.
7. Freeze for 15 mins before baking, or you can keep them in the freezer up to a week! Bake at 350 for 16 mins.

Fillings

Peanut Butter & Jam - I used about 1 full tbs of peanut butter, with half a tbs of cherry jam, then crushed some toasted peanuts on top. Be creative! Use any nut butter you have at home!
S’mores - 1 tbs of Nutella with a few marshmallow or fluff! This one can get really messy, clean the edges before putting the top of the pie on so it can steal properly
Strawberry Jam - 1 tbs of strawberry jam with some crushed frozen raspberries for texture.

Icing

1 tbs Water
3tbs Icing Sugar
Sprinkles if desire
1. Whisk the two ingredients together until smooth
2. Let the pop tarts completely cool before spreading the icing on top, or it will slide off
3. Sprinkle your colorful sprinkles on top the icing