Pi Day Poptarts

♫ Listening to: Amber Changing by Rise Against ♫

Pi day is probably Zen’s favorite day of the year. Since we have plans on March 14 this year (and I will be crazy busy preparing for our amazing bakesale), we decided to prepare for Pi day in advance. Here’s a lower sugar blueberry pop tart recipe as another option.

Poptart Crust Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups flour (I use unbleached all-purpose)
• 8 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine (if you avoid soy, buy the soy-free earth balance; otherwise buy the organic whipped earth balance)*
• 4 tablespoons evaporated cane juice (or organic sugar)*
• cold water

Poptart Crust Directions

Combine the flour, sugar, and vegan butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the kitchenaid beater attachment . If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a food processor .

Slowly add cold water in a steady stream while the stand mixer or food processor is running. Stop adding water when the dough forms a ball.

Roll a third of the dough as thin as you can without it breaking, adding flour when needed to keep from sticking to the rolling mat or the rolling pin.

Cut shapes out of the dough using a poptart or pie pocket maker.

The poptart maker I have is made by wilton, and I bought it at Target. However, if you don’t have one, you can use a cookie cutter or even just a lid to a jar.

Cherry Poptart Filling Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups of frozen cherries
• 1 cup raw, vegan, or organic sugar*
• 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 tablespoons organic cornstarch*

Cherry Poptart Filling Directions

Combine cherries, sugar, optional extract, and cornstarch in a pot on medium heat.

Reduce heat to low when it starts to bubble.

Remove from heat when it has thickened.

Assemble the poptarts when the filling has cooled.

Preheat your oven to 350º.

Place one piece of dough onto one side of the poptart maker.

Spoon in a bit of filling, but leave a half an inch around the perimeter so that it won’t squeeze out the sides.

Cover with another piece of dough.

Squeeze the poptart together to crimp the edges.

Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork if you’re using a cookie cutter.

Transfer to a cookie sheet or baking stone.

Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Poptart Icing Ingredients

• 8 ounces organic powdered sugar*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (or sub more vanilla)
• 2 tablespoons organic light corn syrup *

Poptart Icing Directions

Combine everything with a stand mixer .

Brush onto cooled poptarts with a silicone basting brush , back of a spoon, your finger, whatever.

I used colored sugar that I had leftover from when I made pokeball cupcakes, but there are a variety of vegan sprinkles on the market that you can purchase as well. Some of them can be found in my gingerbread dollhouse post.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

* I use mostly organic ingredients when I cook, but I realize that not everyone has the disposable income to purchase all organic ingredients. Therefore, I only specify organic on the ingredients that really matter - when buying the organic version is the only way to ensure that the item is vegan.