jetlag and poptarts

I was so close to conquering jetlag, too.

Fell asleep at 11:30 p.m. last night and I thought I’d sleep for a while but my eyes just popped open at 4:45 this morning…

Anyone know any cures for jetlag? I’ve been dying throughout the day passing out on the couch at about 9 p.m. only to feel super alert around midnight.

After rolling around in bed for about half an hour and feeling antsy, I decided to make better use of my time and bake something. Yes. The baker is back. My mom doesn’t really enjoy baking sweets so there was a bit of a lack of ingredients around the house, so I picked a recipe that wasn’t super complicated and didn’t require too much sugar (Daddy’s a diabetic.)

Poptarts!

Surprise surprise. I never really liked the poptarts that they sell at the stores because I’m not a big fan of the overly sugared glaze and the overly sweet jam, but the recipe on smitten kitchen was just tooooooo cute. I love seeing how people make things like Oreos and Girl Scout Cookies at home. Fresh better variations FTW.

Surpassed the jam and decided to do two kinds of mini Poptarts. Brown sugar cinnamon for the sweet half and Mexican cheesey filling for the savory half.

The family will probably start waking up soon. Hopefully they like them. My mom promised me her DELICIOUS homemade clam chowder for breakfast so we can enjoy a nice hearty breakfast together.

Homemade Pop Tarts
Adapted from smittenkitchen

Pastry
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) 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 (1 ounce) milk

1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)
1 teaspoon heavy cream

Cinnamon Filling (enough for 8 tarts)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend that I usually put into quesadillas. I think the stronger the flavor the better though because mine were a bit on the bland side so maybe a pepperjack, cheddar, or salted mozzarella would be better?)

To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender 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 (approximately 8 1/4 ounces each), shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (I chilled mine for about half an hour.)

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable but still stiff enough to hold together. 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.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into fourths – you’ll form sixteen mini rectangles.

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.

Remove the tarts from the fridge, and bake them for 20 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack.