I am so very excited to tell you I won the runner-up prize over at US Highbush Blueberry Recipe Contest with my Blueberry Pop Tarts recipe!
I never entered any kind of competition and this feels so good guys! My family loves this recipe, especially my 4 year old who wants mama’s pop tarts all the time. This is very rewarding and a sign for me that I am doing something good.
And you want to see something great? Did you see the winner ‘Blueberry-Brie Baklava with Honey-Lemon Balsamic Glaze’ recipe? YUM! Totally making that.
And now, one more time, the pop tarts recipe:
Blueberry Pop Tarts
Pie Crust (by Dorie Greenspan):
3 cups of flour
1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup ice cold water
2 1/2 sticks butter, very cold and cut into cubes
1/3 cup shortening, also very cold
Put flour, salt and sugar into the food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and the shortening and pulse until you get pea size pieces of butter and then start adding water, tablespoon at the time. Pulse until just combined. You may not need all the water. The dough just needs to keep together when pinched. The less you mess with it, the better it will be.
Turn the dough out on the clean surface and shape a ball, cut in two pieces, reshape into a ball and wrap into plastic wrap. You need to let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
*I always make this amount and often freeze one half of the dough and use it in the next two weeks for a fresh batch of goodies. This amount makes two 9″ pies or a lot of pop tars so you decide if you want to half the recipe at the start, freeze some up or use it all!
After the dough is rested roll it out on a floured surface to desired thickness. For pie I do it a bit thicker than I do for these pop tarts. At this time you will either cut out your rectangle shapes or use the mini pie maker to put the filling in. I put about 1 1/2 tbsp to 2 tbsp of filling into each tart, it will depend on the size of the ones you make at home. If you put too little it is not as bad as if you go with too much, that will give you problems with sealing it.
The pie maker seals the tarts on it’s own, if you are making them by hand, seal the edges with a fork.
Blueberry Filling:
3 cups frozen blueberries
2/3 cups sugar
2 1/2 tbsp corn starch
peel of one lemon
2 tbsp of lemon juice
Add all the ingredients except corn starch to a pan and cook on medium heat.
*If you will be making the frosting like me, reserve 2 tbsp of blueberry juice before adding corn starch.
After 10 minutes add the cornstarch and cook for 5 more minutes, if it is thickening too much you can add a few tbsp of water. Cool off a bit before filling your tarts.
Bake it on 400 degrees for about 30 minutes (check it after 20) or until nicely golden brown.
For my toppers I used 2 tbsp of reserved blueberry juice mixed with confectioners sugar. Also, I used colorful sprinkles, but you could do whatever you like, put a lemon frosting, or vanilla would go nice too. White chocolate!!! Many yummy options here…I hope you enjoy these 🙂
