N is for Nutella: Nutella Pop Tarts (aka: Nutella Turnovers) (Jessica)

Happy Sunday!

You know how sometimes Sundays just make you want to be lazy?...I'm feeling that way today! Typically, I am the opposite of lazy; I'm pretty darn busy all the time. Luckily, most of the stuff I do is fun (including the baking!), so it works out well. Today, for some reason (maybe because it's 78 degrees outside???), all I want to do is sit in the sun and eat these pop tarts. Sigh....too bad I finished them earlier in the week! Guess I'll just have to make them again in the future.

Oh, and a note about the name: it was decided that "pop tarts" wasn't an accurate or delicious enough sounding name. So the other nomination was "turnovers." What do YOU think? :) 

Homemade Pop Tarts
by Smitten Kitchen
makes 9 full-size or 18 mini-size

Ingredients: 
Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)

Filling
Nutella (about 9 tablespoons)


Directions: 
Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender (THAT'S WHAT I USED) or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it.

If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary.
Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] (THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART OF THE RECIPE, ROLLING DOUGH INTO A RECTANGLE IS HARD!) Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside.

I used a pizza cutter to make nice edges.

Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles for full size pop tarts. If you want to make the smaller size, cut each 3x4 rectangle in half.

Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it.

Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Charming tip from King Arthur: Sprinkle the dough trimmings with cinnamon-sugar; these have nothing to do with your toaster pastries, but it’s a shame to discard them, and they make a wonderful snack. While the tarts are chilling, bake these trimmings for 13 to 15 minutes, till they’re golden brown. (THIS SOUNDS LOVELY, BUT I DIDN'T DO IT)

Bake the tarts: Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack. Enjoy!

*For variations and other suggestions, check out the original SK post!*

Review:
These were divine. I had never made a real pastry dough before, but it was surprisingly easy and amazingly delicious. And who doesn't like nutella?! A really delightful combination. These were hard to resist, they disappeared fast. I found out that while they don't REALLY taste like store-bought pop tarts, you can still toast them briefly to warm up the nutella if you're into that sort of thing... :) I personally thought they were way better than the store-bought version. It seemed that the tasters thought so as well!

Mmmmmm....

-Jessica


PS. Jen's secret ingredient next week is: ONIONS!