I know, I always said I am too lazy to bake, and I am still trying to create super easy and quick recipes. None of that counts this time. Because these Low Carb Raspberry Pop Tarts are all worth the little more time you (and I) spend in the kitchen. For me (and also my kids who ate them all) this is the low carb dessert number one! They are buttery, soft and sweet inherently.
But make sure you have extra undisturbed time in the kitchen. Not only does this recipe call for things you probably don’t have in your pantry, but it also takes a bunch of time to roll dough, to cool it, to make the filling, fill/bake, and then drizzle with icing. I hope you won’t start to hate me. No, you won’t because the result – the Pop Tarts are all worth it.
The filling is my favorite homemade raspberry jam with chia seeds which is famous through the internet, and I am a big fan of it too. It is easy to make, tasty and you have the certainty it is sugar-free. And in combination with these pop tarts, I’ve created over the weekend a low carb dream came true – ask my kids!
The great thing is, the taste of fresh fruits in combination with the protein and almonds doesn’t require any extra sweetness. At least for those who are keto/low carb already some time. All others can gladly add any low carb sweetener such as erythritol, stevia or xylitol.
If you ever baked with some low carb doughs, you probably know they are sometimes little tricky to handle. This pop tart dough is somewhere on a middle scale of difficulty. But no worries! There are some tips and trick how to handle it with grace and without a heart attack. First, make sure you leave the dough for a short rest in a freezer. Ten minutes would be already sufficient. (If you forget it for too long inside then you have to wait until it’s unfrozen – true story :D)
While working with the dough try to wash your hands with cold water regularly. That helps to prevent the stickiness. When you start to create the pop tarts similar rectangles combine rolling pin and your fingers depending on what is working the best. It takes time to create all the rectangles, so easily cut the dough and the rest you don’t use at the moment return to freezer. But don’t waste time trying to create identical shapes. The last thing, when you press the tines of a fork around all the edges of the pop tart, wash the fork now and then, so no rests are sticking on it otherwise, the dough starts to tear.
Ingredients
For the tarts
60g/2.1oz vanilla whey protein
100g/3.5oz butter
100g/3.5oz almond flour
100g/3.5oz lupin flour
100ml/3.4fl oz almond milk
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
2 tbsp erythritol (or another LC sweetener)
1 egg to smear the pop tarts
For the filling
400 g / 14 oz raspberries (I used frozen)
2 tbsp chia seeds
Low carb sweetener of your choice (optional)
Water (if needed)
For the caramel icing
180 ml / 6 fl oz heavy cream
80 g / 3 oz butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum extract ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2 tbsp erythritol
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Combine the dry ingredients for the dough and sift or stir with a whisk to ensure the mixture is uniform.
- Add butter (room temperature) and using your finger knead the butter until the butter lumps aren't bigger than peas.
- Stir in the almond milk and form a stiff dough.
- Place dough in the freezer while you make the filling.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add raspberries.
- Once the berries soften, stir them around in their juice, you can add one tbsp or two of water if needed. It will require about 10 minutes until the strawberries start to break up.
- Add chia seeds and optional low carb sweetener.
- Stir another 5-10 minutes, it depends on you, what consistency you prefer.
- Full in an airtight container and let cool down before putting in the fridge.
- Once the dough is cooled, on parchment paper, create small balls and shape them with hands into rectangle shapes.
- Beat the egg and brush it over every rectangle. Place a tbsp of raspberry jam into the center of every second rectangle. Close it with the empty rectangles, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle.
- Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Set aside to cool a bit.
- For the caramel icing put all ingredients in a sauce pot and stir over shallow heat until cooking.
- Stop stirring and let the caramel cook another 20-25 minutes by itself. Just be careful that it doesn’t run out of the pot.
- Pour the caramel icing over the pop tarts and don't eat them all at once :)
