Another great recipe hack that I love to make, are Mini Pop Tarts. The hack is, instead of making the Pie Crust from scratch, you just by it from the store. It convenient and saves you a lot of money.
My recipe is fun, simple and creative. I guaranteed, you would definitely make this over and over again.
What type of filling is inside?
The filling I used is Strawberry Jam. I used Strawberry Jam because I always have it in my fridge and I try to not go out of my way to buy ingredients.
Now, you can use any type of filling you desire. Such as, Brown Sugar, Peanut Butter, Nutella, Cream Cheese, Cheesecake, Lemon Curd and more.
What type of icing is on top?
The icing I made is Vanilla Icing. It is simple to make and is traditionally used as a based of every icing. All you need is Milk, Powdered Sugar, and Pure Vanilla Extract.
To create the Magenta Pink, add a few drops of red food coloring or gel. Now if you don’t have these ingredients, simply go to your local store and get some pre-made icing. They are usually around a $1 and comes in all sorts of colors.
By the way, you don’t have to use the same colors I did. You can get creative and choose your own. You can add sprinkles, innovative patterns and more.
“Eat whatever you want in moderation.”
-Nkechi Ahaiwe
Let’s get to the recipe…..
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Cool Time: 15 minutes
Freezing Time: 30 to 1hr (optional)
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yields: 16 Mini Pop Tarts or 8 Regular Pop Tarts
Ingredients:
Pop Tarts:
2 sheets Pie Crust
1 jar Strawberry Jam (4oz)
Confetti Sprinkles (optional)
Egg Wash:
1 Egg
1 tsp Water
Pink Vanilla + Vanilla Icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted (sift after measuring)
2–3 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Red Food Coloring or Gel
Directions:
Vanilla Icing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract together. Add another Tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to thin out if necessary. For thicker icing, add a little more confectioners’ sugar.
- Divide icing into another bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring in bowl bowl. Whisk to combine. Now if you don’t want so much pink icing, just add about 2 tbsps of the vanilla icing into a small glass as I did below.
- If not using right away, cover and store icing in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 2 days.
Pop Tarts:
Step by step pictures below.
1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Unroll the pie crusts, place on a lightly floured work surface, or on a sheet of parchment paper.
3. Roll the crusts slightly with a rolling pin to square the edges. If there are any cracks, seal them with a dab of water and the pressure of your index finger.
4. Cut each crust edges off to create a perfect square. If you are making regular size, cut into 8 equal-sized rectangles.
5. Place about 1/2 tbsp of strawberry jam or 2teaspoons regular size in the centers. Then spread the jam out to within 1/4 inch of the edge of the pastry square.
6. Top each with another pastry square, and use a fork to crimp the squares together, sealing in the jam. Use a knife or pizza cutter to trim the pastries, if desired. Move the filled pastries to the prepared baking sheets.
7. Optional: Place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hr. This will insure that the Pop Tarts will hold its shape while baking and the strawberry filling won’t ooze out.
8. After the time is up, preheat oven at 350F for mini Pop Tarts and regular size at 425F. Then take sheet out of the freezer and place it on the counter top.
9. In a small bowl, add you egg + water and mix with a fork.
10. Using a rubber brush, coat egg wash mixture on each Pop Tart.
11. Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes. If you are baking regular size bake for 7 minutes.
12. Allow to cool on the baking sheets about 15-20 minutes. Then spread the cooled tarts with frosting, add design and sprinkles. Enjoy.
Note: To create zig zag pattern, add frosting into a pipping bag or zip loc bag. If using a zip loc bag, be sure that when you cut the tip, it’s very small.
Catching Up With Nkechi 