How to Make Pop Tarts like Foreign Cinema

There are recipes on this blog that you should be doing, then there are recipes that you better be doing. This is one of those recipes.

Pop Tarts have always been a snack that has potential to be so much better. There is never quite enough filling, clearly a little stale, and qualifies as “just good enough” typically. Maybe a camping snack you need in a pinch, but never a staple in the pantry, except for little kids maybe.

Well today, we are going to change all of that. Your house is going to smell like fresh croissants with about 1/10 of the work. What is great about this recipe is that you can modify the filling however you want. Follow the dough recipe, and then stuff it with what ever your favorite jam or preserves! At the restaurant, they typically making the filling with what ever is fresh and in season.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one. This recipe only makes 4 pop tarts, so feel free to go ahead and double the batch if you are looking to make more.

Cookbook – Foreign Cinema

Ingredients –

Tart Dough –

All purpose Flour – 1 cup
Granulated sugar – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter – 1 stick
Ice water – 2 tbsp

Fruit Filling –

Your favorite jam or preserves, homemade or store bought

To Finish

Egg – 1 – whisked with one tbsp of water for the egg wash
Confectioners sugar to top

Tools –

Bowls
Baking Sheet
Ruler

Step 1 – Make the Tart Dough

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into smaller pieces and add it to the bowl. Work in the mixture with your hands until the butter is evenly distributed into small bits. Then sprinkle the ice water and work the dough vigorously with your hands until fairly smooth. Press the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Shape and Bake

Pre heat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough down and with a rolling pin, roll out until about 1/8 inch thick. It’s thinner than you think, but honestly it’s not a terrible thing to have semi thick tarts, you just will not get as many pop tarts in the end.

Measure out the dough in 3 x 5 inch rectangles. My dough rolled out into 2 rows of 4 rectangles, then used the left overs dough to continue making about batch of 2 rows of 3 rectangles (1 batch should yield 8 rectangles to make 4 pop tarts. Again I doubled the batch, this recipe should only yield 4 pop tarts. Trust me you will want more.

Using a bench scraper, spatula, or your hands, transfer the rectangles onto the baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Spread 2-3 tbsp of jam in the center of each pastry, then top with the other tart dough rectangle. Press the edges closed with a fork and tightly seal them. I definitely had some spillage during the baking, so be sure to tightly close them.

Just before placing in the oven, brush the tops with the egg wash, then bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Sift confectioners sugar on top and serve immediately.

The Scores –

Difficulty of ingredients – 2/5 stars – You might have everything at home

Perceived difficulty going into recipe – 2/5 stars

Difficulty after recipe – 3/5 stars – The shaping of the tarts took a little more concentration than I thought it would. Overall not bad at all though.

Time Taken – 3/5 stars – less than 2 hours total including letting the dough rest. Pretty quick recipe, and enough time in between to clean.

Taste – 5/5 stars – Amazing dish, would make again in a heartbeat

Make again – 5/5 stars – Easy decision, no brainer

Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to drop me a line with any questions.