Apple Pocket Tarts
You guys are awesome! Another Top 9. I am just blown away. Thanks bunch for buzzing my Apple Bread!!
I have been on a bit of an apple kick lately. There are in season you know? Not to mention I love apples…LOVE them. Like I have before, I have an apple every single day. What is that saying “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away”? Something like that anyways.
I always end up getting on these kicks with different ingredients and then make a ton of things with that one ingredient. I mean did you SEE all the pumpkin things I made? Not to mention the blueberry recipes…I wanted to make something that was comforting with the apples.
The reason I wanted to make something comforting is because I have been feeling a bit blue lately. Things just haven’t been going that well for me. My job is really stressful because of the recent position I got. I don’t feel like I get a moment to breath at work which is really overwhelming. On top of that I just haven’t been feeling very good about myself, which is never a good thing. I am one of those people that tends to work myself too hard and for too long (Type A personality 😛 ) and with me being so unbelievably frustrated lately I have just reached the end of my rope.
I am very lucky to have Patrick to support me through it all. He is always there trying to make me feel better and always manages to put a smile on my face. The poor thing has had to deal with my negative-stressed self lately way more than I care to share with you. Thanks Lion. <3
Comfort…
Apples…
Fall…
Hmmm, how about little pocket apple pies? Pie, for some reason, is always comforting to me. Makes me think of holidays, family and warmth.
Adapted recipe from Flour Bakery and Buns In My Oven
For the dough:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cold milk
Using a food processor mix together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10 to 15 seconds. Scatter the butter over the top. Pulse until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it. Lumps of butter the size of pecans should be visible throughout the dough.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once. Process until the dough just barely comes together. It will be loose and messy. Don’t freak out, this is the way it is supposed to be.
Dump the dough onto an very lightly floured surface and gather it into a tight mound. Using your hands work the dough just until it starts to form. DO NOT KNEAD. Use the smearing technique. Where you drag the dough with your hands and smear it against the surface.
Gather up the dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and press down into a disc about 1″ thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using.
For the filling:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
Melt the butter over high heat in a medium sauce pan. Add the apples and stir until they just start to soften, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and continue stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the sugar has melted and mixed with the apples.
Remove from the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a bowl. Cool for 30 minutes. It needs to be cooled before you add the rest of the ingredients.
Add the egg, cinnamon, salt, and flour to the apples and mix with a spatula until they are thoroughly and evenly incorporated. Cool completely before using.
To assemble the Pop-tarts:
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon of water
Preheat the oven to 350º
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half. Put the half you aren’t working with back in the fridge. On a floured surface, I found that the more flour the better here or your dough will stick which is NOT fun!
Roll the first half of the dough until it is about 1/16″ thick. REALLY roll it out, you want it to be thin. Using a paring knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into rectangles. Mine were about 2 1/2-3″ x 5″. Brush the rectangles with the egg wash.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling on top of each of the egg washed dough rectangles. Top with the remaining rectangles of dough. Use a fork to lightly press the edges together and seal them together. Brush tops of rectangles with egg wash to get that nice golden color when they bake. Place each Pop-tart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray about 2 inches apart.
Repeat the same process with the remaining half of the dough.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the tops of the pastries are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
For the Cinnamon Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
Brush the tops with the glaze. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Who doesn’t want to have a little mini apple pie for their pocket? I mean really. Could you say no?
33 Comments
Kelly
Oh yummy!! These remind me of homemade poptarts, love this recipe! 🙂
Bake Your Day
Apples are definitely comforting and these look like total comfort to me. I used to love pop tarts (I ate them practically every day.) These look like a much more grown up version, yum!
Susie
These look fantastic, anything with glaze and I’m a happy girl. Sorry to hear your going through a bit of a rough patch. We all have those times in our lives and thank goodness I have a wonderful husband as you have your Patrick. 🙂 There is something to be said for never having to go through it alone. I hope things balance out for you at work.
RavieNomNoms
That is a true statement Susie…always better to have the support there for you if you need it
janet@fromcupcakestocaviar
These tarts look delicious Ravie!
I’m sorry you’re not in a good place right now. I hope things start looking up for you. *hugs*
RavieNomNoms
Thanks for the *hugs* Janet…those always make me feel better 🙂
Dionne Baldwin
Don’t be surprised if you see these re-blogged on *my* blog in the future. This takes me back to my first memory of apple pie which is far from elegant! But since day one (memory one) I was hooked and your post has me smelling fresh baked apple pocket tarts and cinnamon! You did an amazing job on these.
RavieNomNoms
Hehe you are more than welcome my dear! Your post on my Apple Bread was amazing! Such a nice job you did with it
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Fresh fruit in a pop tart – LOVE it!! These sound great ,and I love the cinnamon glaze!
Ramona
These are better than any store bought pop tart!!! They are fantastic! Hope things get better for you on the work front!! ~ Ramona
Steph@stephsbitebybite
This may be the best thing I’ve seen all day!! Delish!!
Tina@flourtrader
Nothing like a cinnamon apple hand held pastry! I could really enjoy eating a few (or more) of these. After seeing that last picture-I am hooked.Yum!
Christine
Apple tarts look wonderful. Yum!
Liz
Congrats on the Top 9!!! These tarts look just as amazing!!
RavieNomNoms
Thank you so much Liz 😀
Emily @ Life on Food
These look just like poptarts but the gooey glaze looks about 100 times better. What a great fall recipe!
Tori @ The Shiksa in the Kitchen
Yay, pocket pies! The name alone makes me happy. I do agree, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. In fact, I just read about a study in which women who ate a portion of dried apples every day for three months decreased their cholesterol dramatically. Who knew??
RavieNomNoms
Well check that out! I guess my cholesterol must be super low since I eat one a day..hehe. Thanks for the fun fact Tori!
Peggy
These look like the perfect pocket treat! And I hope you get a little stress relief soon (I’m right there with ya though!)
The Elegant Eggplant
These are so cute.. and perfect for fall!
Delishhh
Would love one of these right now for breakfast – so nice!
Britne @ Shabbott's Habits
I love these! Especially because you can re-heat them in the toaster over for breakfast. I bet they smell [and taste] amazing!
RavieNomNoms
They did smell amazing, really smelled like apple pie in the kitchen. Reheating in the toaster would be GREAT for these!
Kate@Diethood
These look fantastic, I was actually just trying to create something with apples in it, so now I must try these!
Laz
Fabulous job with these apple tarts. I could go for about a dozen of them.
Be Well…
sprint2thetable
Have you ever been to Atlanta? We have a “historical” fast food place here called the Varsity that is known for it’s fried pies – apple and peach. They are delicious, albeit quite fried! These look just like them and they! are baked! I’m definitely going to make them for the family this winter!
Awesome creation! Hold on to work – I’m overwhelmed quite often, but it always calms down. Just have to keep your eye on the prize (and eat another apple pocket). 🙂
RavieNomNoms
I haven’t actually! That is too funny! I will have to google that and see what that is all about and then go to it when I go to Atlanta.
Wine and Good Food
This looks incredible and I love that you make everything from scratch! I will have to try them soon!
Ann
These are incredible! I like that you added some personalized directions as to how the dough is supposed to look and such. It’s terrific that you can use your food processor, too. The best part – they look like they taste AMAZING! I’m buzzing these, too!
RavieNomNoms
Thanks Ann!
I always try to do that kind of thing when I make doughs because I feel like when I read recipes and then make them I am always wondering if the dough looks like it should, so I always try and say what it looks like because I wonder. lol hope that makes sense 😉
Meghan
Hope your stress level goes down soon. These little gourmet pop tart look like they could definitely help! They look perfectly flaky & that glaze sounds amazing on them! Just checked out your apple bread which looks lovely too!
kita
I’m totally digging on home made pop tarts this year (though I can’t seem to make time to snap a picture of them!). These little apple tarts sound like apple-liciouness. Sharing some apple love.
Baker Street
Yummm! These look terrific! Love the cinnamon glaze!