Southern Peaches ‘n Dates Pop Tarts

by on in Bread & Baked Goods, Desserts, Recipes

Juicy summer peaches and brown-sugar like Medjool dates are a magical duo. When baked together inside buttery pastry, the dates become almost caramel-like and bind the peach filling. Add a bit of cinnamon and it tastes just like peach cobbler. If your dough becomes soft while you’re working with it, pop it back in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing. This will ensure your pastry is tender and develops those ideal flaky layers in the oven.

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Makes 9 pastriesActive Time 45 minutes, Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 2-4 hours chilling time

Ingredients:

Dough
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 3 Tablespoons cold whole milk
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Filling
  • 2 ripe medium to large peaches – halved, pitted and finely chopped
  • 5 Rancho Meladuco Medjool Dates – halved, pitted and finely chopped
  • 1.5 Tablespoons bourbon (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
Glaze
  • 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup whole milk, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Demerara sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Make the dough In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt until combined. Scatter the cubed butter over the top and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk. Drizzle the mixture over the flour and pulse until the dough comes together and clumps when you press it between your fingers.Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather the dough and shape it into a flat rectangle. Fold the dough over itself, then flatten it again. Repeat this process 2 to 3 more times. Form the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least four hours.Meanwhile, make the filling In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Let sit for 30 minutes.Prepare the pop tarts Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half. You may need to let the dough soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, shape one half of the dough into a rectangle. Roll out the dough to a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife and a ruler, cut the dough into nine 3½-by-4½ -inch rectangles. Repeat this process with the second half of the dough.In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Brush half of the rectangles all over with some of the egg wash, then mound 2 to 3 tablespoons of the peach filling in the center of each one. Arrange the 9 remaining dough rectangles on top of the peaches and then crimp the edges with a fork. Using a toothpick or cake tester, prick small holes in the top of each pop tart. Transfer the pop tarts to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes before baking. Reserve the remaining egg wash.Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the pop tarts from the refrigerator and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.Make the glaze In a medium microwave safe bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth, about 1 minute. If the glaze is too thick then add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.Spoon the glaze onto the cooled pastries and sprinkle with demerara sugar, if using. Let sit until the glaze has set, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!MAKE AHEAD The dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days in advance or frozen up to 1 month. The pastries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Recipe & photography: Julia Heffelfinger