Introduction: Low Carb Strawberry Pop Tarts
Every time I go to the supermarket, I'm bombarded by images of vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream, apple strudel, and many more flavors of pop tarts. Every time, I'm tempted to go and buy one, but none seem to fit in my palate. My favorite flavor, strawberry, is a rarity at my supermarket now, and I am yet to see any pop tarts that are low carb. As a result, I decided to take the matter into my own hands, searching and searching for recipes. I compiled and consolidated, determined to find a perfect recipe. In this instructable, I'll be teaching you how to make your very own strawberry-flavored pop tarts (you can change the flavor by switching out strawberries with a flavor ingredient, such as chocolate chips, blueberries, etc.)
Supplies
Strawberry Filling
- 300g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1-4 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
Crust
- 168g (or 1.5 cups) of almond flour
- 20g (or 1/4 cup) of coconut flour
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 85g (or 3/8 cup) of melted butter
- 2 eggs (one is to be used for egg wash)
Glaze
- 60g (or 1/2 cup) of softened cream cheese (or yogurt)
- 28g (or 1/8 cup) of softened butter
- 2-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
- a pinch of salt
- heavy cream (as needed)
Baking Materials
- baking pan
- parchment paper
- rolling pin
- non-stick spray
- whisk/wooden spoon
- saucepan
- mixing bowl
- measurement cups/weight scale
- saran wrap
- electric mixer
- scraper
Step 1: Making the Filling
Heat your strawberries over medium heat in a saucepan. Let them simmer for 5 minutes*, or when the strawberries begin to release their juice. Add the sugar and lemon juice to the pan, mixing the ingredients together. At this time, you can mash to strawberries or leave them be for a chunky filling. Taste the filling to make sure your filling is sweet enough for you. Cook the ingredients for 5 more minutes, and then remove it from the heat. Stir in the chia seeds. Let it stand for a few minutes, or until it begins to thicken up. Store in an air-tight container. Place in the refrigerator and refrigerate overnight.
*Note: If you're using frozen strawberries, it's best to thaw them out, or microwave them, before placing heat on them. Placing frozen strawberries directly on a hot pan will result in the strawberries burning.
Step 2: Making the Crust
While your filling is cooling in the fridge, you can use that time to make your pop tart crust. Mix the almond flour, coconut flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add your butter into in the mix, thoroughly mixing the soon-to-be dough. Add the egg in last, mixing until a sticky dough is formed. Take the dough out of the bowl, and wrap it in saran wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour to prevent stickiness while you're working with it.
Step 3: Assembly & Baking
Take the dough and filling out from the fridge. You'll be working with the dough first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a pan, covering it with parchment paper and using non-stick spray. Flatten the crust dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Be sure to sprinkle almond flour on the parchment paper before placing the dough on it to avoid sticking. Use a straight edge (I used a scraper) to make nice, clean edges for your crust. Cut the dough into 4 equal strips. Prepare the egg wash, lightly beating the one leftover egg in a small bowl. Divide the filling into 4 equal piles. Place one pile of filling onto one strip of dough. Fold the rest of the dough over the filling. If you have trouble separating the dough from the parchment paper, use a scraper to separate them. Place the finished pop tart onto the pan. Repeat the process with the other three dough strips and filling portions. Once all tarts are on the pan, brush egg wash over them, sealing up any cracks that may appear. Using a sharp knife, cut three slits on the top of the tarts. Place the pan in the oven, and set a timer for 20 minutes. Check on the dough at minute 10. If the pop tarts are not golden brown by the time 20 minutes is over, add 10 more minutes. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
Step 4: Making the Glaze
As you're waiting for the pop tarts to cool, it's the perfect time to be making the glaze. Mix your cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Cream the ingredients together until they are light and fluffy. Add in a pinch of salt. Add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time to adjust the texture. Depending on your preference of the texture of glaze, you can add anywhere from one to ten tablespoons of heavy cream. I used seven tablespoons of heavy cream in order to get a sort of liquid-like frosting. Once your pop tarts have cooled down, place your glaze into a Ziploc sandwich bag. Cut one of the edges off of the bag, creating a simple frosting bag. Drizzle the glaze onto the pop tarts, adding as much as you want. Enjoy!
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