{"id":461,"date":"2011-03-26T21:49:01","date_gmt":"2011-03-26T21:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/?p=461"},"modified":"2011-03-28T11:57:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-28T11:57:00","slug":"the-queen-of-tarts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/?p=461","title":{"rendered":"The Queen of Tarts"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the next three weeks (until April 16th) I will be only posting recipes and short anecdotes. \u00a0I have a major test to pass that is required by my school district and it will require many hours of study. \u00a0After the test, I am taking Andrew to visit my old home in Mexico and I will celebrate the end of the test and trip with weeks of traditional Mexican cooking.<\/p>\n

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\"Eat<\/a><\/dt>\n
Pop Tarts… \u00a0Need I say more?<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

There are very few sweet junk foods that I couldn\u2019t live without.\u00a0 Now, I\u2019m not talking about anything homemade that comes out of the kitchen.\u00a0 Of course I couldn\u2019t live without brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and the like.\u00a0 Furthermore, I would never call them \u201cjunk.\u201d\u00a0 Although an indulgence, they are part of our family\u2019s balanced approach to nutrition and all the makings for them are included in our apocalypse storage bin.\u00a0\u00a0 No, what I\u2019m talking about is that certain \u201cje ne sais quoi\u201d conflation of chemicals that has produced some of science\u2019s greatest gifts to mankind: the Slurpee, the peanuts at the bottom of a box of Cracker Jacks, Coco and Fruity Pebbles\u2026.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the apotheosis of all that is good and right in the world of chemical-induced-food comas is the Pop-Tart.\u00a0 It is a miracle from the golden age of science that made us believe that Tang was a proper beverage for surviving celestial travel.\u00a0 I defy anyone of a certain age to disagree.<\/p>\n

My kingdom for a Pop-Tart any day.<\/p>\n

Andrew would agree and I love him all the more for it.\u00a0 So when I saw an article in the Los Angeles TIMES food section on homemade Pop-Tarts (March 3, 2011), I got that \u201cI could have had a V-8\u201d feeling.\u00a0 I just can\u2019t believe that it never occurred to me to recreate this icon of indulgences at home.<\/p>\n

Andrew\u2019s response to the homemade Pop-Tarts was to immediately slam down three of them with a large glass of milk.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t get over how much he liked them \u201ceven better than store bought\u201d and concluded with, \u201cYou know, having a gay dad definitely has its advantages!\u201d\u00a0 He may not think so when he\u2019s heard Madame Butterfly blast across the house for the umpteenth time, but then again, who makes homemade Pop-Tarts!<\/p>\n

____________________________________________________<\/p>\n

The TIMES article is less of a recipe and more of a concept.\u00a0 Basically, it says to use your favorite pie dough and get creative with the fillings.\u00a0 Other than that, you just need a rolling pin and a ruler.\u00a0 This is not a hard project, but do plan to spend a couple of hours to pull this off, as there is refrigeration time in between steps.\u00a0 I started the night before with the dough (20 minutes), got up in the morning and rolled, cut and filled the tarts, (1 hour), ran off to the L.A. Marathon (to cheer for\u00a0 our 15- year-old-friend Clara, not to run in the marathon), came back and baked the tarts. (30 minutes).\u00a0 I add the times here to hopefully encourage and convince more people to try this at home.<\/p>\n

My Favorite Pie Dough<\/p>\n

This is an easy dough that comes together fast, but needs refrigeration time.\u00a0 It\u2019s flaky, buttery, and tender with just the right crunch.\u00a0 Use it for everything.\u00a0 If you want a savory version, just omit the sugar and vanilla.<\/p>\n

2 cups flour<\/p>\n

1 cup (2 sticks butter), very cold or preferably frozen<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon salt<\/p>\n

1 egg<\/p>\n

4 tablespoons ice water<\/p>\n

2 tablespoons sugar (vanilla sugar if you have it)<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon vanilla<\/p>\n

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.\u00a0 Slice the cold butter in thin slices and put in bowl.\u00a0 If the butter is frozen, use a sharp knife to slice the butter.\u00a0 Using your hands, work the ingredients until they form a mixture that resembles small pebbles mixed with cornmeal.\u00a0 Beat the egg with the ice water and vanilla and add to flour mixture.\u00a0 Mix with a fork until it comes together.\u00a0 It will be a wet dough.\u00a0 Knead it just long enough to form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or over night.<\/p>\n

You might as well make two batches.\u00a0 One batch makes eight tarts and that isn\u2019t going to be enough.\u00a0 Trust me.<\/p>\n

When the dough is ready, pull it from the fridge and cut into two equal parts.\u00a0 Put one back in the fridge while rolling out the first.<\/p>\n

Roll the dough into a 9\u201d x 12\u201d rectangle. Have extra flour on hand to dust your work surface so the dough doesn\u2019t stick.\u00a0\u00a0 The TIMES article says to press the ruler up against the dough to keep the sides and the angles true.\u00a0 However, even using that method, it\u2019s hard to get straight edges, so I\u2019ve given a recipe that allows you to roll it out slightly larger and using a ruler, trim to the right size (see photo below).<\/p>\n

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\n\t\"Roll<\/a>\n\t

Roll the dough slightly larger than you need and cut it down to size<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Roll out the other half the same way.<\/p>\n

Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, pressing the ruler down slightly so that you can see the lines.\u00a0 Divide the each rectangle in half again and then each square again.\u00a0 You will have eight 3 \u00bd\u201d x 4\u201d shapes. (see photo).\u00a0 Place the rectangles on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and place in fridge for a bit to cool again.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\"\"<\/a>\n\t

No need for to worry about squiggly lines. It comes together later, promise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Make an egg wash, using 1 egg beaten.<\/p>\n

Using a pastry brush, brush half the squares with the beaten egg, making sure to get edges.<\/p>\n

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each brushed rectangle, spreading it out a bit ensuring that you leave about a half inch on the edges. Cover it with an unbrushed pastry and gently press around the edges.<\/p>\n

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Putting the pop into the Pop Tart!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Using a fork, press around the edges of the tarts to make sure you have sealed them completely.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want filling spilling out during the baking.\u00a0 Using a fork, poke holes on the top of the tarts to allow steam to escape.\u00a0 Make different designs with the fork to help you remember which tarts have which fillings.<\/p>\n

Place the filled tarts back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (You can go off and run a marathon, if you must, at this point.)<\/p>\n

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\n\t\"\"<\/a>\n\t

Coming and going from the fridge<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Just before putting the tarts in the oven, brush the tops with some of the remaining egg wash.\u00a0 Bake the tarts on a rack in the middle of the oven until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.\u00a0 Cool the tarts on a rack.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\"\"<\/a>\n\t

Ready for your kids or the kid in you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Fillings<\/p>\n

Nutella is a great and easy filling, as is any of your favorite jams and preserves.\u00a0 I used my French Vanilla Apple Sauce that is the base for my larger apple tarts and it was fantastic.<\/p>\n

French Vanilla Apple Sauce<\/p>\n

4 apples (preferably organic, I use Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonathon), cored and coarsely chopped 6 tablespoons butter<\/p>\n

\u00bc cup sugar (vanilla sugar if you have it)<\/p>\n

\u00bd teaspoon salt<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon vanilla<\/p>\n

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the apples.\u00a0 Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and sauce like.\u00a0 This can take up to 30 minutes.\u00a0 I mash them with a potato masher to help speed things up.\u00a0 I also like to use my immersion blender to puree it, but like to leave it a bit chunky. You want the sauce to be on the dry side so it doesn\u2019t dampen the pastry dough.\u00a0 When the apples are sauce like add the sugar, salt and vanilla and take off the heat.\u00a0 You have enough filling for about 10 tarts and some to eat by the spoonful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another great filling that works as a base for a larger pear tart as well.<\/p>\n

Pear Anise butter<\/p>\n

4 pears, \u00a0coarsely chopped<\/p>\n

6 tablespoons butter<\/p>\n

\u00bc cup sugar<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon salt<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon vanilla<\/p>\n

2 teaspoon anise seed, coarsely chopped by hand or in a coffee grinder<\/p>\n

1 tablespoon pear liquor (optional)<\/p>\n

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the pears.\u00a0 Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and sauce like.\u00a0 This can take up to 30 minutes.\u00a0 After 15 minutes, add the anise seed and continue to cook.\u00a0 I mash them with a potato masher to help speed things up.\u00a0 You want the sauce to be on the drier side so it doesn\u2019t dampen the pastry dough. I also like to use my immersion blender to puree it, but like to leave it a bit chunky.\u00a0 When the pears are sauce like add the sugar, salt and vanilla and take it off the heat.\u00a0 Let cool before using.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the next three weeks (until April 16th) I will be only posting recipes and short anecdotes. \u00a0I have a major test to pass that is required by my school district and it will require many hours of study. \u00a0After the test, I am taking Andrew to visit my old home in Mexico and I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=461"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":479,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461\/revisions\/479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feedingandrew.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}