Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts

Today I’m going to tell you about two of my favorite things. The first one?

Twitter

I have to admit, when I first joined Twitter I didn’t really get it. It felt like an extention of my Facebook status. I thought I would never use it. Then I got my smartphone (how did I ever live without this thing???) and became obsessed with Twitter. I think my husband thinks I need to join a Twitter-aholic’s Anonymous group or something. He just doesn’t get it

I love Twitter because I’ve made so many AMAZING contacts and people that I consider friends. Twitter gets me thru the painful moments in my day. Never before have you been able to really connect with people like we have with the advent of Twitter. I can have a great meal at a restaurant and Tweet directly to them that it was fantastic, and if that restaurant is a good user of social media, they will usually respond, and I LOVE that.

When I got back from San Francisco, I checked my Twitter and noticed that Kathy & Megan were planning a bake date for that Sunday and wanted to know if I wanted to come along. Well, you both had me at bake date my dear friends.

Which brings me to my second favorite thing, which is actually part person and part book.

Joanne Chang and the Flour Cookbook.

I am not afraid to admit that I am also obsessed with Joanne Chang (but not in a stalkerish way I swear!) and her Flour Cookbook. I’ve only recently been exposed to the fabulousness that is Flour Bakery, and when I saw there was a cookbook, well, I just HAD to have it.

When I was deciding what to make for the bake date that weekend, I went straight to the Flour Cookbook. I like to take any opportunity I can to make something from the Flour Book because everything is just SO bad for you (and SO AMAZINGLY AWESOME all at the same time), I can only make something from that book if I’m going to be meeting up with people that I can give everything away to, otherwise I would be going up about 10 sizes thanks to the amount of butter and sugar that appears in these recipes.

My first foray into making homemade pop tarts was very bad. I thought I would be smart and hurry the cooling process for the dough by placing it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Let me give you some advice, DON’T do that. Just, don’t. Learn for my mistakes, PLEASE.

This time around, I was NOT fooling around. And even though they didn’t come out nice and pretty, they were AMAZING and DELICIOUS.

I am going to make these all the time. Butter be damned.

They paired nicely with the homemade hot chocolate supplied by Megan:

And the croissants that were made by Kathy:

I think I just discovered my third favorite thing: Bake Dates

Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts

Recipe found in the Flour Cookbook by Joanne Chang

Pop Tart Crust

• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into about 12 pieces
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp cold milk

In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt for about 10-15 seconds until combined. Add the butter to the bowl and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, until it holds together and there are still chunks of butter in the batter.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and milk until blended and then add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until the dough just comes together.

Empty onto a floured surface and gather into a tight mound. Starting on one side and at the top of the mound, use your palm and slide down the mound. Do this a couple of times until most of the butter is incorporated and the dough comes together.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a 1″ disk. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (I did overnight)

Apple Cinnamon Filling

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over high heat. Add the apples and toss for 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and toss for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least a half hour before spooning onto pop tarts

Assemble the Pop Tarts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Take the dough out of the fridge and divide in half. Roll out each half on a floured surface to about a 11×14″ rectangle. I think mine rolled out a little smaller but I just rolled the extra dough together to form extra pop tarts. Using a paring knife, lightly score one rectangle into 8 3.5×5.5″ rectangles or about the size of an index card. Lightly beat one egg and brush the top of the dough with the egg. Spoon 2 big tbsp of filling on each. I had some filling leftover. Lay the second layer on top of the first. I used a fork to seal the pop tarts and brushed it again with the remaining egg. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Let them cool for at least 30 minutes.

I made a cinnamon glaze and brushed it on top. It was a little watery (not enough sugar me thinks) but still delicious!