Ready to get retro with your baked goodies? How about a batch of do-it-yourself toaster pastries?
They are easier than you think. After all, the ones you buy are nothing more than two sheets of (not particularly good) pastry dough sandwiching a sugary filling. Plus, doing them at home lets you customize the glaze and the filling. We went with a brown sugar-cinnamon filling and glaze on ours, but you could substitute any jam if you’d prefer a fruit filling. You also could ditch the glaze and sprinkle the top with coarse sugar before baking.
Once they are baked, store the pastries at room temperature for three to four days. Alternatively, for an easy do-ahead breakfast, freeze the assembled pastries on the baking sheet prior to baking. Once frozen, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to three months. They can be baked as needed; add just a few extra minutes to the oven time.
Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pastry Tarts
Start to finish: 2 hours. Servings: 12
• For the pastry dough:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
• For the glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 drops cinnamon oil (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
To make the pastry, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter cubes into the flour until the mixture looks mostly like coarse meal but with some pieces as large as peas.