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Buttery, flaky pop tarts with blueberry filling and tangy lemon glaze

Blueberry Pop Tarts with Lemon Glaze (Eggless)

Buttery, flaky pop tarts with blueberry filling and tangy lemon glaze
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 6 pop tarts
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Ingredients
  

For the pie crust

  • 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsps caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (115 gms)
  • 1 to 2 tbsps ice water
  • 1 tbsp cream + 1 tsp water to brush on top

For the filling

  • 200 gms frozen blueberries, do not thaw / you could also use fresh
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch / arrowroot starch

For the glaze

  • 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 to 2 drops gel food colouring
  • 1/4 cup coloured sprinkles / funfetti

Instructions

  • To make the pie crust, combine the flour, sugar and salt, if using, in a large bowl.
  • Using your fingertips, rub the cold butter cubes into the flour till the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger bits of butter scattered through. These bits are what create a flaky dough.
  • Add 1 tbsp of ice water and bring the dough together. It will be soft and slightly wet. Only if it feels dry, add the 2nd tablespoon of water.
  • Form the dough into a rough ball, place on a large piece of clingfilm and pat into a 3/4th inch thick disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This dough can be chilled or frozen longer, as long as its softened at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. Since it's now so warm in Mumbai, I prefer overnight chilling.
  • Next, make the filling because this should also preferably be chilled overnight so it's nice and thickened by the time you're ready to bake.
  • In a small saucepan on low heat, combine the blueberries and sugar. Stir often till the berries begin to release their juices and continue to let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the liquid is very lightly simmering and the berries have softened, sprinkle the cornstarch over and stir it in thoroughly.
  • Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken and coat the back of the spoon. Take it off the heat and let it come to room temperature. It will further thicken as it cools. Transfer to a bowl and chill overnight in the fridge.
  • When ready to make the pop tarts, unwrap the chilled pie crust and cut it into two equal parts. Place one part back in the fridge. Place the other on a lightly floured silicone mat (it helps make the rolling and transferring to the fridge easier in warm kitchens, but you can also do this directly on a kitchen counter).
  • Roll the dough out thinly, but not thin enough that it cracks or tears. I prefer to place a sheet of clingfilm or non stick baking paper on top of the dough and then roll, so that the stickiness is minimised. Roll into a rough rectangular shape that's about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. Then trim the edges and slice the dough into 4 pieces, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. These measurements are only an estimate because you may find yourself rolling the dough thicker or thinner, and it's ok to not aim for perfection. The more important thing is to make sure the pieces are all of the same size and thick enough to hold the filling.
  • Slide the mat onto a baking tray and place in the fridge. This makes it easier to separate the pieces and fill them in the next step. Use a second silicone mat and repeat the above step with the other half of the dough. Roll up the leftover scraps of dough as well and do the same. In all, you should be able to get 5 to 6 pop tarts, or 10 to 12 individual pieces of dough. Remember to keep chilling the dough as you go.
  • Now it's time to assemble! Give the blueberry filling a quick stir, it should be nice and thick. Combine the cream and water in a small bowl and keep a pastry brush ready. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  • Use a thin metal spatula or knife to separate the pieces of dough and place them at least an inch apart on the silicone mat. Drop two teaspoons of the filling in the center of one piece of dough. Cover with a second piece and press down the edges to seal. Make sure there isn't too much air trapped in between. Use a fork to press down on the edges to 'crimp' them and further seal. Brush the top with the cream-water mixture.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. I prefer to chill the assembled pop tarts again for 10 minutes before baking so that they are nice and flaky when they're done.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned on top and darker on the edges. If you would like more colour, bake at 200 C for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or turn your oven to the broil setting at 150 C for 2 to 3 minutes. The filling will spread as it bakes and since there are no steam vents cut into the top of the tarts (read the post above), small cracks may appear as some of the blueberry juices escape. It's absolutely ok and delicious!
  • Let the pop tarts cool on the baking tray for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Now make the glaze. Combine the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly (a balloon whisk is very useful here) till smooth and thickened. Add more sugar if you would like the glaze sweeter and thicker. Whisk in the food colouring. If you use a liquid food colour, not a gel food colour, you will need a little more as it is not as concentrated as gel.
  • Pour the glaze over the cooled pop tarts, making sure you've placed a silicone mat underneath to catch drips and scrape off excess glaze, which can then be spooned over the tarts again. Sprinkle the tarts with funfetti. Let the tarts rest for 15 minutes so that the glaze firms up and hardens into crackly, sugary joy!
  • Store in the fridge in an airtight tin as in the summers, the filling will cause the tarts to soften. I actually loved them cold! They also freeze well. Happy eating!