BRILLIANT IDEA: HOMEMADE POPTARTS

Like a shot of genius straight through my baking heart, I came upon a recipe for DIY strawberry/nutella pop tarts.  After baking off a round with the yummy chocolate spread, a combo of French strawberry jam and just the jam, we deemed the plain strawberry versions the very best flavor indeed.  Tender with salty butter flakyness, oozing sweetness in the form of rich red confiture -- they were the optimum hand pie.  And mini at that!

Sublime with a small glass of milk or paired with afternoon tea, making your own pop tarts will light up a room and fill you with glee.  I'm on an old-school confection kick and can't wait to make the next Americana classic with wholesome honest ingredients -- I think oreo cookies are next on my agenda!

Strawberry Pop Tarts

(makes about 10 mini pop tarts) 

1 cup + 1 tbsp flour

1 heaping tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3-4 tbsp water

1/2 cup butter, frozen, cut into small pieces 

your favorite brand of strawberry jam

2 tbsp cream

dermera sugar

In the bowl of a food processor, blitz flour, sugar, salt and butter until butter and flour yield a sandy texture.  Add water one tablespoon at a time, bigger clumps will form.  Turn dough (which looks like sandy flour at this point) onto the counter, gathering it into a loose ball), wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.

Flour counter liberally, roll out dough into long sheets.  Cut into rectangles, tucking in a small dab of jam, crimp edges to seal with a fork.  Freeze pop tarts at this point for an hour (or in a bag for a few weeks).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Brush tarts with a little cream and sprinkle with dermera sugar.  Bake for about 17-19 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve with a glass of cold milk.