Baking with Kids: Homemade Pop Tarts

My blog this week was inspired by my wonderful mom's group and the food challenge we were given to make homemade pop tarts.  Now, I am a big believer in allowing my kids to help in the kitchen.  My son loves to help me make breakfast and both my kids enjoy assisting me as I bake.  This is a precious time where I can not only spend time with my children, but teach them as well.  The kitchen offers lessons in math, physical science, creativity, and life skills.  With that in mind, my son joined me in my mission to create my own pop tarts.

  

Honestly, I decided to join in this challenge at the last minuet.  So we started our experiment with homemade pie crust.  Some recipes online used pastry dough, but those require refrigeration.  I was making a larger amount of tarts to share with my group, so I doubled the recipe.  

After following the basic directions, and rolling the dough, I cut the edges using a pizza slicer.   This dough I was only able to split in half.  Most of the times I cut it in thirds.  

My son then applied an egg wash (beat 1 egg) to the strips of dough so they would stick together.  He said, "Ewwww, yucky!"

Prior to the egg wash I mixed up a filling of brown sugar and cinnamon which I found from Smitten Kitchen (I did not double their recipe).  They have a variety of filling choices but this was always may favorite as a child.  After the egg wash, I piled the filling in the center of half the dough. Keep in mind you'll be folding the empty half over.

After applying the filling, fold the dough over and gently press the sides down.

After folding the dough, dip the fork into ice water (which you may have left over from the crust) and press around the edges, sealing the dough and filling.

  

Then poke a few holes in the top to vent.

Egg wash the top and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.  Enjoy warm.  If you have any left over, you can pop them into the toaster (just like the original!) when you are ready to eat them.  

As most children are when they help their parents, my son was proud to have created something he could eat.  He also gains sensory exploration in taste, site, touch, and smell (science), is learning measurements (math),  discovering that heat changes things (physical science), and developing fine motor skills.  Not bad for such a tasty treat!