Ah, the Pop Tart. A classic in the time honored American tradition of passing off pastries as breakfast food. Created in 1964 by the Kellogg Company, they’ve been a staple of snack pantries and vending machines across the country.
But, there’s one thing that’s bugged me. Pop-Tarts were always meant to be toasted; there are instructions on the box even to do so, yet most people I know have never tried it toasted. In fact, some consider it a waste to do so! I’ve also heard Kellogg’s advertise that you should try freezing your Pop-Tart for a summer treat. I wanted to find out, once and for all, what is the best way to enjoy a Pop-Tart. So, I approached it as pseudo-scientifically as I could. The results… may shock you. Or not. It’s just a Pop-Tart.
First, I had to design an experiment. The criteria seemed simple enough: take 3 Pop-Tarts; freeze one, toast one, and leave the other at room temperature as a baseline. But something else came to mind- these groups test the variable of serving temperature. But what about the actual cooking? What if the act of freezing or toasting affects the flavor, regardless of the temperature it’s served? With that, I added 2 more groups to the experiment: 1 Pop-Tart that had been toasted and allowed to cool down, and 1 Pop-Tart that had been frozen and allowed to warm up to room temperature. That way, I could see if the cooking process changed the flavors of the pastry.
Second, I had to decide on what kind of Pop-Tart to use. There are dozens of flavors, with many fan-favorites to pick from: the ubiquitous Strawberry, the classic Brown Sugar Cinnamon, the snazzy new-comer Hot Fudge Sundae. I decided to go with my all-time favorite: Wildlicious! Wild Berry. The classic mixed berry filling, with the neon purple and blue icing are the first things I think of when Pop-Tarts are mentioned.
After selecting my flavor of choice, I proceeded to the experiment: I toasted 2, froze 2, and left one as a baseline. I then sampled one of the toasted and 1 of the frozen Pop-Tarts while at their hottest and coldest, and allowed the other ones to return to room temperature. Here’s what I observed:
Baseline) Fruity, saccharine, with a touch of tart undertones that come out in the aftertaste. A delicious, perfectly edible treat.
Frozen) Chewy, a much tougher consistency, though not unpleasant. The flavor is actually more sugary than the baseline, and there was no sourness at all. It reminded me of eating an ice cream sandwich. The icing lost all of its luster.
Toasted) Softer, more crumbly, as evidenced by the cracks in the icing. The warmth was a nice touch, and the flavor was the opposite of the frozen. It was more tart and sour, with less sugar through out.
Frozen, Warmed Up) The icing also lost its luster, and was actually sticky for a while as it warmed up (probably due to condensation). It also became much more brittle and crumbly. The taste was very similar to the baseline, maybe a touch more sugary. The filling seemed to have softened up, as though it was tenderized by cooling down.
Toasted, Cooled Down) The parts that weren’t covered in icing were very crispy, like toast (surprise surprise), but the icing stayed similar to the baseline. The flavor was similar, maybe a bit tarter, but really not that different.
I was interested to see the subtle and noticeable differences that came from the experiment. I didn’t realize all the nuances of flavor and texture that could be accentuated! A chat with a food science friend of mine brought 2 phenomena to my attention: the Maillard reaction and freeze concentration.
The Maillard reaction, also known is Maillard browning, occurs when you cook food. It’s a complex chemical reaction where sugars are reduced, amino groups and carbonyl groups interact, and flavor compounds are created. It’s also why the the Pop-Tart turns brown in the toaster. This explains the more tart and complex notes in the toasted version, as well as the softening of the pastry. Freeze concentration is a different reaction that’s based mainly on water. The idea is that by freezing a solution, the water and solute become disassociated, causing the solute’s flavor become more pronounced. It’s used in the production of some wines to create a more saccharine product, and it explains why the frozen Pop-Tart had a more candied flavor.
Personally, I think I’ve discovered that toasting is my favorite way to eat a Pop-Tart. Surprise surprise, the food that was created with the intention of being toasted tastes best when toasted. I also loved the frozen version. It gave a delicious, ice cream-like flavor and an interesting sensation, but toasting had a more interesting, sourish flavor and a much better texture. And while I think I actually slightly prefer the flavor of the frozen version, the experience of eating a hot, flaky, crumbly Pop-Tart was hands down superior to eating a tougher, chewier frozen one.
CONCLUSION: there is no wrong way to eat a Pop-Tart. No matter what temperature you serve it at, they remain the delicious semi-breakfast dessert pastry we remember fondly. But, depending on your mood, there are better ways to enjoy one. On a hot summer day, I think freezing a Pop-Tart for a few hours creates a refreshing experience. On a cold winter day, a hot Pop-Tart is as cozy as a cup of hot chocolate. And if you’re just looking for a quick, simple snack, grab a room temperature one. Even if it’s one you froze or toasted and accidentally left out, you’ll still enjoy the sugary-filling and crisp pastry. Just be sure to savor your bites and appreciate the complex reactions that go into creating such a simple pleasure.
Frequent Rarity 