Rhubarb Pop-Tarts
I have just a short word of encouragement for you this morning that I’ll break down into a few short sentences: the words you say to people matter. The things you speak over them can be transformative. The love and encouragement you give away to others can change the way they see themselves forever. If I’ve gone in way too deep for a Wednesday morning, let me back up a minute and tell you what precipitated all of this, and then we’ll dive into these rhubarb pop-tarts.
The other day, my my parents moved out of their home of 21 years and they sent their movers to drop a few boxes and pieces of furniture that were mine. I started sorting through the boxes and found stacks of old artwork and drawings as well as piles of old letters from my elementary years. Birthday cards, Valentines, and even a few pen pal letters were strewn about my living room as I laughed and teared up at all the love people had given me over the years.
One letter in particular was really meaningful to me. I found an old hardcover journal with a hand-written inscription and a card from my third grade teacher, Mrs. Graham. In the letter, she congratulated me on the outcomes of a national writing test that I took and told me how proud she was of my accomplishments. The journal, per her letter, was for me to continue writing in, and she encouraged me to keep practicing and refining those skills as I continued on in school. “You are a terrific writer, Katie! Never stop!”
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” -Dr. Suess
I don’t recall much about my first, fourth, or fifth grade teachers. My second grade teacher had a really long last name that I still can’t spell and a face that turned tomato red when she was angry with us. But I never forgot Mrs. Graham or that she believed in me. In moments when I’ve been scared to pursue a career as an author, as silly as it sounds, I’ve remembered her words and that there was someone out there who thought I had something good to say. Her words made me brave and honest and willing to share.
Our Words Matter
I think about this a lot when I speak with my own children. We spend a lot of time calling out talents and characteristics in them both because I want them to feel empowered to let those parts of themselves shine. I want my daughter to be eager to befriend a new kid at school because she knows how friendly and kind she is to others. I want my son to be joyful and sprinkle the world with his silliness and laughter because he knows how clever he is.
A new goal of mine is to let my mother, sister, friends, husband, hell, EVERYONE, know what goodness and beauty they bring to my life so they’ll continue to share it with me and the other people they rub shoulders with on a daily basis. The words we share with others can empower them to rise up and be better versions of themselves. So let’s share freely.
Rhubarb Pop-Tarts
These rhubarb pop-tarts are another lovely little rendition of one of my favorite treats. I adore homemade pie crust and filling bite-sized bits of it with jam and icing has got to be one of the most fun ways to snack. These rhubarb pop-tarts are nothing more than flaky crust, a quick homemade rhubarb jam, and a sweet and floral honey icing, and they make for a delicious snack, breakfast or dessert.
Making the Pop-Tarts
To make your own rhubarb pop-tarts, we start with the crust. Flour, sugar, and salt are combined before fat is cut into the dry ingredients. We bring the dough together with ice water and allow it to chill until firm. You can do this step in advance if you’d prefer, and homemade pie. crust also freezes nicely when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Next, we make the jam. Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be cooked down with sugar until it is thick, flavorful, and bubbly. Allow it to cool completely before filling your tarts.
To shape the rhubarb pop-tarts, simply roll out the dough super thin and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut out small squares. You can also use a small round cookie cutter if you’d prefer, but here, I’ve used a clean plastic sewing ruler like this one to make sure each of my squares are the same size. Trim out the squares, spoon jam on half of them, and then crimp a second square on top to seal in the filling. Allow the tarts to chill in the freezer prior to baking.
Frosting the Tarts
After baking the rhubarb pop-tarts, the honey icing comes together quickly and adorns these simple treats. They taste best within two days, but you can make and freeze unglazed tarts for a few weeks and re-flake in the oven. Feel free to batch the recipe to serve a crowd, or keep the prep short and sweet to make just a few. These hand pies are a great way to use up the leftover rhubarb you may have floating around your fridge and freezer, so snap to it and get to baking! The season won’t last forever! Happy baking to you all and thanks for following along! Have a great week!
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PrintRhubarb Pop-Tarts
These rhubarb pop-tarts are simple homemade hand pies made with flaky pie crust, a quick rhubarb jam and a simple honey glaze icing.
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 180
- Yield: 10
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 2 1/4 cups (290 gm) of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 gm) butter
- 1/2 cup (113 gm) shortening
- 5 tablespoons ice water
- For the Rhubarb Jam:
- ¾ pound rhubarb, chopped
- 6 tablespoons (75 gm) sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
For the honey icing:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the rhubarb drizzle (optional):
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–1/2 tablespoons rhubarb jam
- 1–2 teaspoons of water, as needed
Instructions
To prepare the pastry:
- Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
- Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Divide dough in half and pat into two round, flat disks. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
To prepare the rhubarb jam:
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot over low heat. Stir to combine and continue stirring regularly until all the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by carefully rubbing a little bit of the liquid in the pot between two fingers- it should feel smooth.
- Continue to cook over low heat, stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 10minutes until the rhubarb has broken down and the mixture is approximately applesauce consistency. Remove from heat and place in a heat-proof bowl to cool in the fridge. This jam will keep in the fridge for approximately 2-3 weeks.
To prepare the pop-tarts:
- Roll out one disk of pastry to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Use a ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut 3” squares out of the dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two pieces (one for top and one for bottom). You can gather any extract pieces of dough and repeat this process to get enough pieces.
- Place 2-3 teaspoons of cooled filling on top of half of the rounds.
- Top the filled rounds with a second circle of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 2-3 times. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for at least 2 hours or up to a week.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before topping with glaze.
To prepare the icing:
- Whisk the powdered sugar, honey, and milk together. Add extra powdered sugar to thicken and extra milk to thin the glaze. Spoon a small amount onto each poptart. Follow up with the rhubarb drizzle, if desired. Again, combine the sugar, rhubarb jam, and water with a whisk. Add extra powdered sugar to thicken it and extra water to thin it. Drizzle on and enjoy!
