Berries & Cream Pop Tarts
If idle hands are the devil’s playthings, then these pop tarts are the perfect playthings for those super risky idle hands! Can you tell I’m bored? Instead of complaining endlessly about boredom, which, it turns out, is also boring — I’ve been investing more time in myself as well as my baking. It’s kind of cool to stop and think, hey, what can I do for myself during this interesting period of time? It’s also sort of sad for a worldwide pandemic to be the trigger for “new hobby” and/or “self care.” But don’t worry! I’m a homebody even when there isn’t a pandemic, so we’re all in luck.
Pastry doughs can be frustrating, but the good news is once you’ve learned to work with one you will have a great head start on getting to know the next one. I’ve previously shared a recipe for pâte brisée, the classic dough we Americans use for pretty much all of our pies that aren’t made with cookie crumb crusts. Today I’m introducing you to my longtime favorite, pâte sablée. The “sandy dough” or shortcrust pastry is quite the opposite of brisée, which is characterized by its epic flakiness. Sablée is much more crumbly, rich, and sweet, and thanks to its high sugar content it can take a hell of a beating (rolling) compared to pie dough. If you’re new to pastry doughs, this is a great way to start as it’s highly forgiving.
Recipe Notes: As always with temperature sensitive doughs, take your time. If things are getting soft and melting, pop them in the freezer. For this reason I always like to build my pop tarts on a sheet tray. For the berry jam I used 3/4 cup frozen strawberries + 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, but you’re welcome to use fresh berries of any kind as long as you have 1 1/2 cups total. Or, totally skip that part and use jam you’ve got on hand! Lastly, I always make my pâte sablée and pastry doughs, but if you like, feel free to swap frozen pie dough or puff pastry sheets.
dough / base:
1 batch of prepared and chilled pâte sablée, divided in half
berry jam:
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons tapioca starch or corn starch
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
Pinch salt
cream cheese filling:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt
berry glaze:
2 tablespoons berry jam
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1. If you haven’t done so already, make your pâte sablée, divide it in half and chill it for at least one hour. Remove from fridge and allow to soften, it should be pliable. Roll out each half to roughly 9x12” and place both on a sheet tray with two pieces of parchment between the layers. Freeze until ready to assemble.
2. To make the berry jam: combine frozen or fresh berries in a small pot with sugar, whichever starch you prefer, and a pinch of salt. Squeeze half a lemon over the top of it, stir it together, then bump the heat up to medium-low to bring the fruit to a simmer. Once bubbling, reduce and cook about 10 minutes, or until the berries are jammy and mostly broken down. Finish breaking down the berries with a fork, reserve two tablespoons for the glaze, and set aside to cool completely.
3. To make the cream cheese filling: in a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Place in a piping bag if you have one.
4. To assemble and bake: preheat the oven to 350º F. Remove a sheet of dough from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a small knife (without cutting through fully), lightly score the top of the dough into six equal sections. Pipe or spoon the cream cheese mixture equally across the six section, then go back through and distribute the jam (about 1 - 2 tablespoons per section). Remove the other sheet of dough from the freezer (allow it to soften just until bendable), then place over the top of the bottom sheet of dough, and carefully seal in between each of the six sections by gently pressing down with your fingers to push out the excess air (it’s a lot like making ravioli!). Now, separate the pop tarts by slicing with a knife and trim accordingly. Press the fork around the edges of the pop tarts to seal and create a pattern, then poke the top of each tart three times with the fork to create some vent holes. Egg wash if desired (1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk or water, whisked together) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and bottom. Cool completely before glazing.
5. To glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved berry jam and powdered sugar until smooth. Spoon the mixture over the top of the pop tarts using the less is more approach: you can always add more glaze, but it’s hard to take it away! If you want it to look pretty, go slowly till you get the hang of it. If you just want to eat the yummy food, drizzle the glaze and fuhgeddaboudit! Enjoy!
Storage/Planning Ahead: You can easily make these ahead by assembling the pop tarts and freezing them right before baking. When you’re ready to bake, just pop them in the oven and add a few minutes if they’re going straight from the freezer. The berry glaze can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
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