Cherry Pop-Tarts

Homemade cherry pop-tart!

Pop-tarts are a treat that brings back memories from childhood. We used to get the strawberry (no icing) and brown sugar varieties. There was also the occasional cherry and grape. Does anyone remember grape pop-tarts? I have heard and read that they discontinued the grape pop-tart a while back. Apparently Kellogg has added a wild grape flavor to replace the old grape. Did they think "wild" grape would be more appealing?

Rolled out dough (homemade too, of course).

Of course if you consumed pop-tarts you also probably ate a toaster streudel at one point too. Toaster streudels were far superior to the pop-tart - with their flaky crust and warm icing. The fruit filling even resembled actual fruit (well sort of). You could even draw sweet pictures with the icing packets. But I don't think Toaster streudels could ever compete with the plethora of flavoring offerings for pop-tarts. Have you seen some of the new flavors? Hot fudge sundae, really? I mean kids could pretend a strawberry pop-tart was an acceptable breakfast, but ice cream in a pastry pocket form? I don't think so.

Just a spoonful (or two) of cherry jam.

But regardless of their nutritional value, pop-tarts will always have a nostalgic place in my heart. And pastry chefs across the country realize the nostalgic power of the pop-tart, putting their own versions on dessert menus. I ate a rather fine pop-tart at Tremont 647 in Boston a couple years ago.

Baking in the oven at 425 F. I could barely contain my excitement!

I have been meaning to create my own gourmet spin on the pop-tart, but didn't get around to it until NOW. Cherries have been on my mind for a couple weeks, and with a fresh supply from the farmer's market I knew I wanted to create a cherry pop-tart. Their are three key ingredients to making your own pop-tart: 1)pie crust 2)jam 3)icing.

Now I made my own pie crust, jam, and icing cuz that's how I do. My mother created this "everything from scratch" mentality, so you can thank her for that. :) Luckily I had some pie crust in the freezer, so it didn't take me ages. If you want to make your own dough from scratch I would make it the night before. Make the jam two nights before, that way you won't feel like you've spent 6 hours making pop-tarts.

Beautiful pockets of goodness.

The "jam" I made came together in a cinch. I chopped up three cups of cherries, threw them in a pot with 1/4 cup of sugar, juice from one lime, and lime zest. I cooked it on medium low for 40 minutes or so. You want to make sure the excess water boils off, so that the mixture is thick and chunky. This was more of a "quick" jam.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. While the jam cools off you can start rolling out your pie dough. Roll the dough out really thin - 1/8 in or so. I cut the dough into rectangles that were about 4 x 3 in (some looked more like 5x2). Put the dough back in the fridge for 15 minutes before you fill them.

Pink frosting what could be sweeter?

Once the jam has cooled, spoon on a couple tablespoons. You don't want to overfull the pockets, as they will burst open in the oven. Place a second rectangle on top. Using a fork, press the sides together to form a seal. Using the fork, poke a couple holes in the top of the pop-tart to allow some steam to escape during baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mine needed about 12 minutes.

Make the icing using 1 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 teaspoon milk. I used part of it to drizzle over half of the pop-tarts. Then I added four drops of red dye to make pink icing for the second half.

This Googler approves!

These pop-tarts were flaky and butter. The cherry jam filling was tart and sweet. The icing made them visually stunning and added the right amount of sweetness to counter the buttery pastry and tart filling. These were a hit! They might be one of the best things I have baked. These would be wonderful to serve at a brunch, people will love you for it.

Verdict: Three JAMS!

Cherry Bran Muffins

Go Muffins!

I don't know about you, but sometimes its hard to get excited about breakfast on a workday. I usually end up eating oatmeal (steel cut if I have the time to make it) in an effort to start off my day on a healthy note and mostly out of convenience. Now I love steel cut oats, but eating the same thing every day can be tiring. I love bagels, donuts, and muffins (all from my favorite food group - carbs), but I can't justify eating these every day. So what options are there for the person trying to make a healthy, tasty choice for breakfast?

Nice plump cherries.

I have actually come across a fairly healthy and tasty banana blueberry bran muffin at Peet's Coffe and Tea. I know what you're thinking - bran, really? What is bran? Whole grains are comprised of three parts - the bran (outer layer), the endosperm (nutrient-rich portion), and the germ (embryo). The bran is rich in fiber. Most refined grains have had the bran removed.

This batter is so easy to make.

But seriously these bran muffins are tasty and wholesome at the same time. I have been wanting to replicate this muffin in my own kitchen and came across at Bran Muffin recipe at 101cookbooks.com. The recipe takes a healthy approach to baking - using whole wheat flour, wheat bran, yogurt (instead of oil), natural unrefined sweeteners (honey), and just a touch of butter.

Again, you're probably thinking B-O-R-I-N-G. Hello, where's the flavor? I wanted to up the flavor too. I decided these babies needed some cherry action to brighten the flavors. But you gotta give wheat bran a chance - it adds a lovely wholesome texture. The yogurt adds a lovely buttermilk tang. You just have to make sure to use whole fat yogurt - see I wouldn't deprive you of fat entirely! The honey adds just the right sweetness and the cherries add depth with tartness (JAM Note: I also soaked a cup of dried cherries in hot water before I added them to the batter).

These go perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

These come together in a jiff and will have you set for many breakfasts to come. My batch came out with 21 muffins (I used regular sized tins). I may freeze some so I can heat them up when I'm in need of some oatmeal relief!

Cherry Jam

Cherry Jam on my favorite 'Woodstock' bread.

Cherries are in season in California! It is very exciting how early fruit and produce come in season in California. In Virginia, we have to wait until June and July to see our favorite fruits and vegetables.

Besides eating these delicious cherries on their own, I decided to make some jam. I used a quick recipe I found on David Lebovitz's blog.

If you don't have this many cherries, you can cut the recipe down, and it will still turn out great. The jam was slightly tart, with the perfect amount of sweetness. I prefer my jams to showcase the fruit, and this recipe certainly does. By leaving some of the cherry halves intact, you get a nice bits of fruit in the jam. Yum!

AJ could just eat this jam by itself!

So what is one to do with all this jam? It would make a lovely filling for a cake, and could be used for a delicious sauce for pork. But my favorite way to enjoy jam - is a nice PB & J! I never seem to tire of these sandwiches. AJ and I buy this delicious bread at our farmer's market from the Harvest Bread Company. They make a delicous whole wheat bread with poppy seeds and pine nuts. Topped with cashew butter and homemade cherry jam - the combination is unbelievable!

So go on and indulge your inner child!