Mint Chocolate Pop Tarts
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup sugar (50 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablesoons milk
- 2.5 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate (70 g)
- 1 teaspoon mint extract or liqueur
For the Pastry:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (310 g)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3/4 cup cold butter (170 g)
- 1/2 cup ice water
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
For the Mint Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar (120 g)
- 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
For the Chocolate Drizzle:
- 4 ounces chocolate (113 g)
Instructions
Make the Filling:
- In a 2 qt saucepan, add the cocoa, sugar, salt, butter, and milk. Heat on medium low, whisking often, until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to simmer. Simmer for 2-3 mintues, until the mixture begins to thicken, then remove from the heat.
- Stir the chopped chocolate into the cocoa mixture while it is still hot. Continue stirring until it has melted, then stir in the mint extract. Chill the filling in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Make the Pastry:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Stir until they are fully combined, then mix in the oil. You may have to mix with your hands to make sure that the oil coats all of the flour.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the cubes of butter until they are no bigger than small peas. Then gently mix in the water and bring the dough together into one large mass.
- Flatten the dough into a rectangle and wrap it in plastic or paper, then chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble:
- Line two baking sheets with parchemnt paper. Take the pastry dough out of the refrigerator. Sprinkle your work surface with flour and place the dough on it. Sprinkle more flour on top and flour your rolling pin. Roll the dough into a rectangle that measures 20 X 12 inches (50 X 30 cm.)
- With a bench knife, cut the dough along the 20-inch side every 5 inches (or 12.5 cm). This should give you 4 columns. Along the short side of the dough, cut every 3 inches (or 7.5 cm) to get 4 rows. You should now have sixteen 3 X 5 inch (or 7.5 X 12.5 cm) rectangles.
- Transfer half of the dough rectangles to the baking sheets, spacing them out evenly. Brush the egg wash along the edges of one rectangle, then place a spoonful of the filling in the center. Cover this rectangle of dough with one of the rectangles still on the work surface. Press a fork along the edges to seal the pastry. Repeat until you have 8 pastires, then return them to the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C.) Bake the pastries for 25-28 minutes, then let them cool for about 30 minutes before frosting.
Decorate:
- In a medium bowl, add the confectioner's sugar. Slowly whisk in the cream, continuing to whisk until there are no lumps. Once the glaze is smooth, whisk in the green food coloring and the mint extract.
- Spoon the glaze over the tops of the pastries. If you want the glaze to firm up, let it sit for about 2 hours.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave, cooking for about 15 seconds on high at a time. Once it is melted and smooth, transfer it to a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off to make an opening of about 2 mm. Pipe chocolate stripes across the tops of the pastries.
- The pastries store well at room temperature for about 3 days.