Strawberry Poptarts

Pastry Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pats

1 large egg

2 tablespoons milk

Strawberry Filling:

2 cups strawberries, diced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 additional egg to brush on pastry

Strawberry Frosting (optional):

1/3 cup strawberry filling

1 tablespoon softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Whisk together 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. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate while you make the filling.

To make the filling, combine strawberries, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla in medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Give it a taste and add another tablespoon of sugar, if needed. Remove from heat and mash with a fork or potato masher. Let cool completely.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If it's been in the fridge a while and is really firm, let is sit on the counter for a few minutes until it softens. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8" thick and about 9"x12". Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cut each piece of dough into thirds, forming nine 3'x4" rectangles.

Place the rectangles you will use for your bases on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the base rectangles. I skipped this step and wish I hadn't. Here's why:

BUSTED!!

Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each of your bases, leaving about a 1/2-inch border.

Place another rectangle on top of your base and use your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press a fork around on all sides. Repeat with remaining tarts. Using a toothpick or a fork, prick the top (just the top!) of each tart a few times to create holes for steam to escape.

"I need to vent!"

Refrigerate the tarts for about 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Remove from the fridge and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until lightly golden.

While they bake, prepare the strawberry frosting. In a small bowl combine ingredients for the frosting and mix well. I like mine just a little bit runny, but if you like it a little thicker, just add more powdered sugar.

When tarts are finished, cool in a pan or rack. After they have cooled, spread the frosting over the top.

Alternate Filling Options from Smitten Kitchen:

Cinnamon Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste

4 teaspoons all purpose flour

Jam Filling:

3/4 cup jam

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Other fillings: chocolate chips, nutella, chocolate and marshmallows, etc.

*Adapted from smitten kitchen.

Scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (This prevents the bottoms of the scones from over browning during baking.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

I probably should have worked it a little longer to get smaller crumbs but they tasted fine.

Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat or roll the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick.

Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles).

Place the scones on the baking sheet.

Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on high.

Sift confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar heavily over the tops of the scones and place them under the broiler.

Broil for just a few seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 6 scones.

*borrowed from Joy of Baking

Cinnamon Rolls

Matt's eyes actually roll back in his head when he eats these. The recipe is from Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes and is suppose to be Cinnabon's recipe. It's been so long since I've had a Cinnabon cinnamon roll, I can't remember what they taste like to compare. Regardless, these are delicious. And even easier if you have a bread machine with a dough setting.

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 cups flour

Filling
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup butter, softened

Icing
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar and 1 cup of the flour. Stir gently, cover and set aside to rise until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.



Add butter, salt, eggs, and remaining flour, mix well.



Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky.



Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place (I put mine in the microwave) about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.



IF YOU HAVE A BREAD MACHINE: Skip the above steps and put ingredients in according to the machine's directions. Put on the 'dough' setting.

Punch dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide. It should be approx 1/4 thick.



To make filling, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a bowl.



Spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the surface.





Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough into a cylinder.



Place seam-side down on a flat surface. Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan (I usually don't measure the slices, I just cut it into 12 even pieces). You want the rolls to be barely touching, not too crowded. If you're pan isn't big enough, just put some in another pan.



Let rise until almost double in size, about 30 minutes (If not baking immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Allow to return to room temperature before baking).

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes or until just golden.



While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy. I suggest you make the icing fresh so it's smooth and fluffy. I made it the night before and stored it in the fridge and I ended up having to add milk and mix again for it to soften up.



When the rolls are done and cooled slightly, spread generously with icing.



Makes 10-12 rolls.

Cinnamon Bun Bread

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp active dry or rapid rise yeast
2/3 cup warm milk (100-110F; low fat is fine)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

Filling/Topping
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cardamom

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp milk or cream

Lightly grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Dissolve the yeast in a measuring cup filled with the warmed milk, then stir milk mixture, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg into the flour mixture. Mix well, until very smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and let rest for 15 minutes.

While the dough rests, mix together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a small bowl using a fork until all the butter has been incorporated into the sugar and mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle evenly on top of rested dough and press the mixture down into the dough with your fingertips (or swirl in with a spatula.)

Place pan into a cold oven, then set the oven temperature to 350F. Bake for about 30 minutes, until bread is lightly browned at the edges and the center of the bread springs back when lightly pressed. Some of the sugar mixture on top may still be bubbling. (I've made this 3 times now and every time it looks different; maybe it has something to do with how far I push the filling down into the dough.)

Cool for at least 30 minutes before whisking the powdered sugar and milk together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread.

Serve warm. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave.

Serves 8-12.

From Baking Bites.

Country Biscuits

2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sugar (can add more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of butter, cold (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons)
3/4 cup of buttermilk, cream or half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Mix all the dry ingredients together.



Cut the stick of butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Or you can take two knives and pretend you're Zorro for a few minutes and get the same results.



Add the liquid, mixing until a bit loose and sticky. Pour dough out on a floured surface, and knead for a minute. Dough should be smooth and no longer wet. You can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find it’s sticking.



Take dough into a ball, and hit it with a rolling pin, turning it and folding it in half every few whacks. Do this for a couple of minutes.



Roll out dough until it’s 1/4 of an inch thick, and then fold it in half.



Using a round cutter (can use a glass or a cup if don’t have a biscuit cutter) cut out your biscuits from folded dough.



Place on a greased baking sheet close together (so they rise up not out), and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.





Makes 10-12 biscuits.



From Homesick Texan