
Keitel really liked these. If I make them again, I will triple the recipe and freeze most of the finished product, because the dough takes a lot of effort to meld in the butter. Maybe if you have a stand mixer it would be easier/quicker?
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Do the Dough: Sift 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt together into a bowl. Cut in 1 cup chilled unsalted butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles small peas. (This took forever and wore out my arms and Keitel’s arms.) Add ½ teaspoon vanilla. Mix in ¼ cup cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together and forms a ball.
Divide dough into 2 pieces and wrap with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8 to 1/4 -inch thickness. Cut dough into shapes with a knife (No need to stick to the classic rectangle – the circles looked prettiest.
Make the fillings: I used jam for the PB&J version, and cinnamon for the other. (Cinnamon filling: Beat 1/4 cup softened butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon together in a bowl.)
Drop 1 tablespoon or so of filling onto half of the dough shape. Cover with remaining matching dough shape. Press edges with a fork to seal. Poke a few holes in the top of each pastry with a toothpick.
Arrange pastries on the lined baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool pastries on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
Make the frostings: For the peanut butter, I beat 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, 1/3 cup peanut butter, and a little water for a “thick pour” consistency. For the cinnamon, I used butter instead of peanut butter and 2 tables of the spice. Garnish with crushed peanuts or cinnamon candies.
There are ton of variations. For the filling, chocolates, berry purees, etc. For the toppings, any flavor glaze or frosting, and garnishes like sprinkles, toasted coconut, grated chocolate, etc.
I would like to put those in my face now please thanks
So I just recently started hearing about the Covid-19 meaning gaining 19 lbs. This recipe is definitely not going to help in my struggle to avoid that. I have probably only gained about half that so far but this may push me over!
These look delicious. But if I make them I’m afraid I’ll eat them all!
I did and you will
There was a brief series on the BBC called “Supersizers Eat…” and they’d pick a different decade (more or less) and kind of live in the period and eat (with the help of chefs) what would have been eaten then. The hosts were a guy whose name I’ve forgotten and Sue Perkins, who went on to do the Great British Bake Off. In the 1950s episode Mary Berry (also of GBBO fame, but the show predates it) was the chef.
Anyway, in the 80s they try Pop Tarts for the first time. I guess they weren’t introduced to Britain until then. They could barely choke half of one down and pronounced them vile. As a good American child of the 70s I found this blasphemous.
The whole series is wonderful. There aren’t many episodes, and I think I found them all on YouTube.