Pineapple Tart

 This is a famous recipe which was specially made during Chinese New Year.

 Pineapple tarts refers to small , bite sized pastries filled with or topped with pineapple jam found in different parts of Asia .

  This pastry is made of a large portion of butter and egg yolk . I made it eggless.

Corn starch used gives it a rich , buttery , tender and melt – in – the – mouth texture. The pineapple jam is usually made by slowly reducing and caramelizing fresh grated pineapple that has been mixed with sugar and spices.

Typical shapes include a flat , open tart topped with pineapple jam under a lattice of pastry , rolls ( cylindrical ) filled with the jam in the center and jam filled spheres with the cloves inserted to it.

It was a festive cookie and are usually consumed during Hari Raya , Chinese new Year and Deepavali  in Singapore and Malaysia.

Most of the Chinese make this on the Chinese new year for the celebration and giving as a gift for friends and relatives.

 Store bought pineapple jam can be used. The process may seems long , but when you taste this delicious tart , all your pain vanishes.

Requirements :

For pastry :

Plain flour – 1 cup

Corn flour – ¼ cup

Butter – 3 tbs

Vanilla essence – few drops

Icing sugar – 2 tbs

Water – ¼ cup

Salt  - a pinch

Egg  - 1 ( optional )

I didn’t use egg.

For filling – Pineapple Jam :

Pinapple – ½ fruit

Sugar – 4 tbs

Butter – 1 tbs

Cinnamon stick – 1

Cloves – 1

Star Anise – 1

Method :

 First we will make the pineapple jam , so it will time to let it cool down.

Pineapple jam :

Remove the skin and chop into pieces.

Blend in a blender to a coarse mixture.

Melt the butter in a pan and add the grounded pineapple.

Add in the clove , cinnamon and star anise.

Let it cook in medium flame for ten minutes.

Remove the spices and add in the sugar.

Keep stirring.

At a stage the jam , won’t stick to the pan. Take off from flame and let it cool.

For the pastry :

Melt the butter in the pan. Add in the quarter cup of water.

Add in salt and sugar , mix well.

Take off from flame , add the vanilla essence and flour , mix well.

Knead with hand for even mixing.

Let the dough rest for few minutes.

Shaping of the tart :

Sphere shape :

Roll the jam and dough to small balls of equal size.

Press the dough ball to flatten with hands , place the jam in the center and cover on all sides.

Make into a sphere.

Insert a clove in the middle.

Cylindrical tart :

 Take a large portion of the dough and press it using the rolling pin ,apply jam as a log on 1 cm apart on one end.

Roll towards the other end.

Cut in to desired shapes.

Open Face pineapple tart :

 I used cookie cutter to cut down different shapes and applied jam on top.

There are special moulds are also used in making these tart by Chinese people.

Arrange in the baking tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes , to make the tart firm.

Baking the Tart :

Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius @ convection mode.

Arrange the moulded tart in the baking tray , apply egg wash / milk wash.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Let it cool and serve.

Pineapple Tart is ready to serve.

These tarts can be stored in refrigerator for 3 days. Serve at the room temperature.

 

Sending this recipe to