Makes: 12
Time: About 45 minutes
If not for their familiar shape and irresistible tangy glaze, you could almost mistake these for turnovers, but those two details make all the difference. As the name suggests, you can easily freeze and reheat these in the toaster oven, so they’re great make-ahead treats. You can use pie dough instead of puff pastry if you prefer, and vary the flavor by changing the jam—use your favorite since it’s front and center. You may never buy Pop Tarts again once you taste these.
1. Put the jam in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, then stir this into the jam until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature; it will thicken as it cools. (Alternatively, chill it in the refrigerator until ready to use with a piece of plastic pressed onto its surface to prevent a film from forming.)
2. Roll the dough into a 24 × 12-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface, then cut it into 4 × 3-inch pieces (for a total of 24). Dust off any excess flour and reserve half the rectangles.
3. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the jam mixture into the center of the remaining rectangles, leaving a 1-inch border; be careful not to overfill. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water, paint this along the edges of the pastry, and top with one of the reserved rectangles. Press the edges to seal well so that the pastries don’t split open during baking. If you like, crimp them with the tines of a fork. Brush more egg wash over the tops of the pastries and use a fork to prick the tops a couple times so steam can escape. Arrange on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 400°F. Bake the pastries for 15 to 18 minutes, until they’re golden brown, then immediately transfer to a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with the lemon glaze, or tightly wrap the unglazed pastries and freeze for up to a month, then reheat in a toaster or oven for a few minutes before glazing.
CRANBERRY-GINGER TOASTER PASTRIES If you’ve got leftover cranberry sauce, just swap it for the jam in the original recipe: Combine 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries with ½ cup each sugar and water, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and the cornstarch slurry. Proceed with the recipe, letting the mixture cook for several minutes until it’s jammy and the berries break down a bit.
CHOCOLATE-CINNAMON TOASTER PASTRIES Omit the jam and cornstarch. Combine ¼ cup sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; finely chop 6 ounces dark chocolate. Fill each pastry with a heaping tablespoon of chopped chocolate, then sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar over the chocolate. Glaze the finished pastries with Chocolate Ganache Glaze.
APPLE TOASTER PASTRIES Peel, core, and grate 2 apples. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the saucepan, then add the apples, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thick. Cool to room temperature before using, then top the pastries with Vanilla Glaze.