Simple Strawberry Compote and Homemade Pop-Tarts

You didn’t think I would forget about Valentine’s Day, did you?? Yes, it falls just after the Super Bowl this year, but for a baker Valentine’s Day is the superior event. I always make chocolate covered strawberries, because they are easy, delicious, and an all around crowd-pleaser. However, this year I wanted to play around with something new.

I decided to stick with strawberries, so I came up with a super simple strawberry compote recipe to start. Then, I took some pie dough (but you can use frozen puff pastry to make it super easy), cut out a dozen heart-shaped pieces, spread the compote between two pieces, pinched the edges of each, baked them up, and drizzled them in a pink glaze. Now you gotta admit, that is quite the Valentine’s Day treat, but this recipe can work any time. The dough can be cut into any shape (even footballs *wink* *wink*) and you can switch out the strawberries for a different fruit, or even a combination. The world is your oyster with this one, friend!

Yield: 6 Pop-Tarts Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

Strawberry Compote:

• Add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a medium sauce pan
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat
• Cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes, checking regularly
• Once the compote has thickened and you can easily smash the strawberries, remove from heat
• Smash the strawberries with a potato masher or wooden spoon
• Allow to cool completely before using it
• Tip: You’ll get about two cups out of this recipe and might not need it all for the pop-tarts depending on how much you fill them, but this stuff is great on pancakes, waffles, even ice cream!

Pop-Tarts:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• On a floured surface, roll out your dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut out 12 hearts, footballs, or whatever you desire
• Add a small dollop (about a tablespoon) of the strawberry compote to half of your cutouts
• Use the other half of your cutouts to cover the dollops of compote
• Using a fork, gently pinch the edges all around each pop-tart, and don’t stress if some of the compote spills out the sides during this step – they’ll still bake up just fine
• Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart
• Lightly beat one egg and cover each pop-tart in an egg wash using a pastry brush
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown

Glaze:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and milk until combined (you can add more milk for a thinner glaze)
• Optional: Add in a couple drops of food coloring for a festive flair
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pop-tarts
• ENJOY!