Pineapple tart is one of my favourite snacks. I love the buttery pastry with the delicious (sweet yet tart) pineapple jam. This is one of the top delicacies served in many households during Chinese New Year.
I found the apple shape cute and much easier to work with than the traditional pineapple tart shape made for Chinese New Year. I also experimented with making the open tart style and I love the result – able to contain lots more pineapple jam. Here’s how I made them.
VIDEO
PINEAPPLE JAM
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large pineapple (chopped till fine)
- Sugar (one part of sugar to one part of chopped pineapple)
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
METHOD
1. Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over moderately high heat. Stir frequently until the juice starts to dry up.
2. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the mixture thickens and achieve a dry jam like consistency.
3. Remove to a plate to cool in the fridge.
PASTRY
INGREDIENTS
- 180 gm plain flour
- 90 gm butter
- ½ tablespoon castor sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ egg yolk (lightly beaten)
- 2 tbsp hot water
- Beaten egg white for glaze
- Cloves for apple shape tart
METHOD
1. Put flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Add butter and rub with fingertips till flour resembles bread crumbs.
3. Mix in the beaten egg yolk and then hot water.
4. Knead to form a dough. Cool in the fridge for ½ hour.
5. Divide dough into 4 rolls. Work on 1 roll at a time, keeping the rest chilled in the fridge.
6. Cut the each roll into 4 equal pieces. Flatten each piece and roll to a flat round disc.
7. For apple shape, put a knob of jam in the centre of flat round disc. Fold dough over the filling and roll gently with the palm of hand to form a small ball. Push 1 clove in the top centre of the ball so that the tart resembles a small apple. Glaze with beaten egg white.
8. For tartlett shape, use a small muffin tray. Press the flat round disc into a small muffin hole. Fill the hole with plenty of pineapple jam. Glaze with beaten egg white.
9. Bake in oven at 180ºC for 20-30 mins till light golden brown. Remove tarts to a wire rack to cool.
