LEMON POP TARTS

Step 1

Use this easy recipe for lemon curd.

Step 2

Add flour and granulated sugar to the bowl of a food processor. (If no food processor, see “Notes” for instructions.) Pulse briefly to combine. Add chopped pieces of butter to the bowl.

Step 3

Pulse until no chunks of butter are visible and the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Step 4

Add ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in clumps. The dough should not come together into a ball. When pressed between your fingers it should be moist, but not wet and crumbly. With a spatula, check the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure there are no dry pockets of flour. If there are, add a bit more water and pulse again.

Step 5

Remove dough from the bowl and divide it in half. Shape each half into a 1-inch thick disk. Wrap each piece in plastic. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour (or overnight).

Step 6

Remove 1 disk of homemade dough (OR 1 refrigerated pie crust) from the fridge and unwrap it. Transfer it to the prepared board. It’s important to work quickly.

Step 7

Roll the dough into a rough 10″ X 13″ rectangle, 1/8-inch thick. Use your ruler to measure. Trim the dough into a perfect 9″ x 12″ rectangle. Slice the rectangle into nine 3″ x 4″ pieces. Gently lift and transfer the pieces to a prepared baking tray, leaving room between the rectangles.

Step 8

In a ramekin, whisk the egg with a splash of water. Brush egg wash around the edges of each rectangle (this will glue the top and bottom pieces of the pastry together). Add 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon filling in the middle of each rectangle. Do not overfill. Leave an empty border around the edges so we can close and seal the pop tarts.

Step 9

Repeat the rolling and slicing process with the second disk of dough. Arrange the 9 pieces on top of the filling-topped rectangles. With your fingertips, press firmly around the edges of each pastry to seal it closed. With the back of a fork, crimp all the edges to secure the filling inside. Poke a set of 4 holes on the top of each pop tart so steam can escape. If time allows, chill the pastries in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Step 10

Brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash. Bake 20 to 25 minutes (rotating the pan halfway through baking), or until the pop tarts are golden blonde. Cool completely before frosting.

Step 11

Make the frosting. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice. Working with 1 pastry at a time, spread icing over the top. Immediately decorate with candy sprinkles.