Recipe: Honey-Almond Mini Pop Tarts with Variations: Balsamic; Dark Chocolate; Habanero; Cinnamon-Clove

VERSATILE HONEY-ALMOND MINI POP TARTS

FOR THE DOUGH:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Cold water for kneading
FOR THE BASIC (HONEY-ALMOND) FILLING:
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup slivered almonds
FOR THE BALSAMIC FILLING:
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar for every 2 tablespoons of filling
FOR THE DARK CHOCOLATE SEA SALT FILLING:
1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon milk
Sea salt for sprinkling
FOR THE HABANERO FILLING:
1 pinch habanero paste* for every 2 tablespoons of the almond and honey mixture
FOR THE CINNAMON-CLOVE FILLING:
1 pinch each ground cinnamon and ground cloves, mixed into 2 tablespoons of the filling

Sift the flour and other dry ingredients and crumble the butter into it until it resembles a coarse texture. Add the olive oil to this mixture and mix gently. Add water and knead it into a pliable yet firm dough. The dough needs to be cold, so if it's warm, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

TO PREPARE THE BASIC FILLING:
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Once the oven has reached 300 degrees F, place the slivered almonds on a baking sheet and in the oven until it reaches 400 degrees F or until lightly toasted. Remove and cool the almonds.

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until roughly chopped. (Proceed to finely grind if you prefer gooey pop tarts.)

Put the almonds in a bowl and mix in the honey (for all except the habanero version). Separate out the almond mixture into parts depending on the flavors you would like to try (see variations below).

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Roll the dough out with a kneading pin on a hard surface and cut out 2x2-inch squares with a knife or pizza cutter.

Layer the squares, put the filling inside and then place a second square on top. Seal them and use a fork (or sharp object) to poke in some holes on the top (carefully).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.

HOW TO PREPARE THE FILLING VARIATIONS:

BALSAMIC:
Mix the honey-almond mixture with the balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and keep aside.

DARK CHOCOLATE SEA SALT:
Place the cocoa powder and milk in a small bowl and mix well until dissolved. Add the honey-almond mixture to this and mix. Sprinkle sea salt halfway through baking.

*HABANERO:
De-seed 2 habanero peppers and puree them in the mixer with the honey. Then add the slivered roasted almonds to them.

CINNAMON-CLOVE:
Mix the honey-almond mixture with the cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl and set aside.

Makes 4
Source: National Honey Board