Rhubarb, Ginger, + Goat Cheese Pop Tarts
As some of you may know, my sister and I drove down to Portland a few weekends ago to see Bon Iver in concert (AMAZING, btw!). We were only down there for less than 24 hours but it's amazing how many places we were able to fit in during that time! We spent most of our time on the Burnside neighborhood wandering through little shops like this one and later at Tusk for dinner before the concert. We made a brief trip down to the Jacobsen Salt Tasting Room, too where I bought more salt than any person will ever need but I have no regrets.
We got into town a little after lunch time but we had early reservations for dinner so we didn't want to have a huge lunch. At the recommendation of one of the lovely shop owners we came across, we popped into The Kitchen Sink, an adorable little cafe serving breakfast and lunch every day. They specialize in hand pies and breakfast sandwiches, along with delicious desserts. I got the BFG Hand Pie, which was the most delicious rye crust pastry filled with beets, fennel, and goat cheese. It was so tasty! My sister got the Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pie which she thoroughly enjoyed as well. We didn't partake in any of their sweets but their little pastry case was filled with the most delicious-looking and inventive treats. They had a little plate filled with Rhubarb, Ginger, and Goat Cheese Pop Tarts and I thought they sounded so genius, I had to create my own version! And guess what: this combo is INSANE in the best way. The spicy kick from the ginger pairs perfectly against the tart rhubarb and creamy, tangy goat cheese. These are so fun to make, too! I had a wild idea to use some of the rhubarb juices to color the glaze naturally and to my delight it worked! I hope you give these a try and let me know if you do! Don't forget to tag your photos with #allpurposeflourchild on Instagram, too!
Rhubarb, Ginger + Goat Cheese Pop Tarts
makes 9 pop tarts
crust
2 2/3 c all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 c plus 2 T unsalted butter, cold and cubed (2 sticks + 2 T)
1 T apple cider vinegar
6-8 T ice water
1 egg, for eggwash
filling
2 c rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped (about 4-6 stalks depending on size)
1 T fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 T lemon juice
3/4 c organic cane sugar
1 vanilla bean pod, split
2 T arrowroot powder (or corn starch)
2 T cold water
9 T chevre goat cheese (a little less than a 5 oz log)
glaze
1 c powdered sugar
1-2 T lemon juice
1 T reserved rhubarb juices (for color)
sprinkles of choice (I used Swedish pearl sugar)
make the crust
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with the flour mixture using a pastry blender (or a food processor) until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the vinegar and 6 tablespoons of the ice water and stir until the dough just comes together, adding the additional 2 tablespoons of water if necessary. The humidity of the day will determine how much you need to hydrate the dough. Divide dough in half and pat each into rough square shapes. This will make it easier to roll out into a rectangle later and yield less waste. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge at least two hours or overnight, ideally.
make the filling
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the rhubarb, ginger, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine then continue to stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. At this point the cooking juices should be a deep magenta and the rhubarb hasn't yet broken down. Spoon out a generous tablespoon of the rhubarb juices to reserve for the glaze later. Turn heat down to medium-low and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, until rhubarb has broken down and is soft and juices have thickened. In a small bowl, stir together the arrowroot powder and water to make a slurry. Add the slurry into the rhubarb mixture and stir constantly until combined and filling has thickened, a minute or so. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
assemble the pop tarts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Working with only one disk of dough at a time (leave the other in the fridge), roll out onto a lightly floured work surface into a large rectangle about an 1/8th of an inch thick. We want to end up with a 12 x 9 inch rectangle with straight edges so make it just large enough to trim it down to this size. Trim the edges using a ruler or something with a straight edge and a pizza cutter or sharp paring knife. Cut the rectangle into 3 x 4 inch rectangles. Transfer the rectangles to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. Pop in the freezer while you repeat with the second disc of dough. Pull out the first batch from the freezer and spread about a tablespoon of goat cheese in the center of each rectangle, followed by about a tablespoon of the rhubarb filling dolloped on top. Brush the edges with egg wash and top with another rectangle. Crimp the sides with a fork to enclose the tarts then using a fork or toothpick, poke a few holes on the top to allow steam to escape while they bake. Repeat with the rest. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool before glazing.
To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, reserved rhubarb juice, and about a tablespoon of the lemon juice to start. Adjust the consistency by adding more lemon juice, if needed. It should be drizzleable but still fairly thick, like honey. Drizzle the glaze over the pop tarts and top with sprinkles or Swedish pearl sugar if you'd like. Enjoy!
* Crust recipe by Yossy Arefi from Sweeter Off The Vine
