Cinnamon Peach Toaster Pastries

From A Potent Brew by Rachel Trachten

Photo courtesy of SolidariTEA

Mom insisted on only healthy snacks in the house, so SolidariTEA cofounder Caroline Sandifer grew up with no Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts in the cupboard. After indulging in the forbidden packaged toaster pastries during college, Caroline started experimenting with her own healthier versions, coming up with recipes mom would be proud of, like this one made with whole wheat and SolidariTEA Cinnamon Peach Tea.

For the dough
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
12/3 cups cold salted butter, chopped into chunks
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup cinnamon peach bottled black tea

For peach filling
1/3 cup cinnamon peach bottled black tea (plus a few tablespoons more as needed)
2½ cups chopped ripe peaches (or chopped and thawed frozen peaches)
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For basic topping
1 egg white, lightly beaten with
½ teaspoon water
1 tablespoon brown sugar mixed with
½ teaspoon cinnamon

For a more decadent glaze topping
5 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1–3 teaspoons cinnamon peach bottled black tea

To make the dough: Place the whole-wheat and all-purpose flours into a large bowl. Using knives or a pastry cutter, gradually work in the butter until the dough has a coarse, sandy texture. Add the lightly beaten egg and the tea, and work lightly with your hands just until the dough is combined and pliable.

Divide dough in two parts and form into balls. Wrap each ball separately in plastic wrap, waxed paper, or tinfoil. Gently flatten balls with the palm of your hand and allow to cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes as you make the filling. (Colder dough is easier to work with.)

To make the peach filling: Combine peaches and tea in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a gentle boil, then remove cover, lower heat, and let simmer.

Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add vanilla plus a couple tablespoons of the bottled tea, stirring well until you get a smooth, thin paste, adding more tea as necessary. Add gradually to the simmering peaches as you stir, then let the filling simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until fruit has softened and juice has thickened. (The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.)

To assemble tarts: Preheat the oven to 350° as you roll out the dough.

On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 rectangles per ball for large pastries or 12 rectangles for smaller ones. Spoon the peach-tea filling onto half of the cut rectangles, dividing filling equally and spreading outward, leaving a margin of at least ¼ inch on all edges of the rectangles.

Lay the remaining rectangles over the filling and seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork.

If making tarts with basic topping: Brush the top of each tart with beaten egg white, then dust with a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake the pastries on a parchment-covered cookie sheet for 25–30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely. 

If you want the more decadent topping: Omit brushing with egg white and cinnamon sugar. Instead, brush the tops of each pastry with leftover cinnamon peach tea, and bake as above while mixing the glaze.

Simmer butter in a small saucepan until froth forms, then cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and cinnamon peach tea. Adjust amount of tea for desired thickness. After pastries are baked, drizzle the glaze over top.