Big Berry Pop Tart
4th of July was yesterday, & we had such a good day. It was a good family day, and that’s usually what it is for us. This year felt extra fun & like a day well spent. We got a morning half marathon in, which always feels good on days that might be more indulgent. We had just worry free // no work kinda holiday, which always equates to what feels like really good free time, and we had really really good bonding time with our nephew Taylor. It’s like he’s officially turned the corner and has an interest in Jordan & I vs. genuine fear, and it’s so fun. I’ll forever remember him acting like a nut and suckering Jordan in to pushing him on the swing for about an hour at 11pm at night this holiday, & honestly it was much more entertaining than watching everyone’s inner pyro come out and light off some fireworks. All in all it was a responsible, fun, & relaxing 4th of July.
The biggest come-up, however, was getting a free Monday this year out of the deal. No work or dealing with co-workers (my current stressor) or major house chores. Just a free Monday to do anything we wanted, and anything but work, and for us that meant watch a morning movie and having something fun for brunch. Brunch is like the super special treat in our house that rarely happens because something is always going on, but when it makes the cut it’s very enjoyable. So our post 4th of July brunch - let’s talk Big Berry Pop Tart. My go to pie dough re-purposed for this slab style pop tart that was pretty darn satisfying. A sweet + tart berry filling topped with a thick + lemony glaze. Total heaven! Perfect little treat that’s easy to prepare, and a perfect morning treat for this free Monday.
Perfectly berry
The filling is a combo of strawberries + raspberries, and it’s this fresh fruit jam that is the shining star. And what I’m taking away from the recipe to apply elsewhere. Sweet, sticky jam loaded with chunks of fresh berries - I was eating it by the spoonful. And you can eat it by the spoonful because it’s not too sweet, and that’s why it’s awesome. Also why it feels like it’s for an adult. Sugary jam from a jar is not the vibe, and this morning made jam so simple and delicious to make. Everything just thrown in a saucepan and left to simmer for about a half hour, and it turns into sweet + sticky jam. I added just a 1/4 cup of white sugar to amp up the sweetness, but the tart berry flavor still comes through. And very worth it to sneak a couple spoonfuls in as you prep. Very very yummy!
Make everything ahead of time
From pie dough to the berry jam, you can prep it the day or 2 before, store in the fridge, and then assemble.
Also some planning items to think about before making (some notes for me on future attempts) - 1) leave the cream cheese out of the fridge for at least an hour so its room temperature and easy to spread, and 2) you can leave the whole pie assembled (pop tart fully formed + edges sealed) in the fridge for an hour or 2 before baking if you really want to be ahead of the game. I baked my pie right after I pulled my chilled dough from the fridge and assembled the tart, and it turned out great. Point being a post assembly // pre-bake chill isn’t mandatory.
Keep it simple
I mean - one of the biggest joys about cooking for just Jordan + me is the comfort I take in not aiming for perfect. I go in with an “it is what it is” attitude, and truly - I could benefit from adapting this strategy when cooking for a crowd. I’m totally guilty of focusing + stressing on making everything “perfect,” particularly when anyone else is coming over for a meal. Anyways - I love the sort of roughness of this slab pie. The edges weren’t perfect, the jam leaked out in a couple spots, and the icing was a tad uneven. But it was still great, and I feel like it looked cute with all of its little imperfections. And of course I put some confetti sprinkles, because how could I not.
Perfect morning and ideal quality time with my boys, and I’m carrying these very good Monday vibes through the rest of the week. It’s the promise I’m making to myself!
For the crust (the pie dough I use for everything!!)
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 sticks of butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 c. ice water (plus a little more if needed)
For the filling
1 lb. fresh strawberries, stems removed & quaretered
1 pint of raspberries
1/4 c. sugar
1 lemon, juiced
pinch of salt
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
For the icing
2 c. powdered sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon (plus a little from the other half if you need more liquid)
fun sprinkles
Start by making the pie dough. Place all ingredients except for the ice water in a food processor, and pulse until the butter chunks has dissipated into small pebble like pieces. Then add in the 1/2 c. of ice water, and pulse until combined. Add in a 1 tsp at a time more ice water if needed. You know it’s done when a huge dough ball forms in your food processor. Separate the dough into 2 equal pieces + wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Leave in the fridge.
Move to making the jam. Add the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, + salt to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir gently every 2 minutes or so, and bring to a simmer. Let the berries simmer for about 15 minutes, reducing the heat if needed to burn. Turn off the heat and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then put in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 + line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll out each piece of dough into a large rectangle (you want them to be fairly equal in size), placing one rectangle of dough on the baking sheet. Gently spread the cream cheese over the dough leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the sides, + then spread the berry jam right on top. Lay the second sheet of dough right on top, trim any major overages with a pizza slicer, and crimp the edges closed with a fork (press firmly along all side of the large rectangle). Final step is to brush the beaten egg right on the very top of the assembled tart, and then bake for about 30 minutes.
When it’s done baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes, or like an hour (the longer it cools the runny the inside will be, though we cut our when it was pretty fresh out of the oven and it was still great). Quickly whip up the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and lemon juice. You want thee mixture to be thick - whisk it enough so chunks are gone + add in a tsp more lemon juice or water if you need more liquid. Pour the thick glaze right over the top, letting thee glaze melt on top of the warm pop tart, and gently spread. Sprinkle with a few pinches of colorful sprinkles, and then cut it up. Saves very well in the fridge - we at ours for breakfast the next 3 days.
