Here's some very special part organic pineapple tarts I baked for Chinese New Year. I didn't have time or a blender to make the pineapple jam from scratch, but I bought a superb quality slightly sweet-sour jam from Bibun Bakery Supplies at Bukit Idaman. Why so special? Because each cookie is shaped like a pineapple and I use a teeny pair of scissors to snip the pineapple pattern on the dough. They take a long time to make (2 hours for 80 cookies). The crumb is very fine, buttery, melt in the mouth. From the pic you can see the ratio of pastry to filling. For me, it is just right :)
Pineapple Cookie Recipe
Pineapple jam 300 g
350 g organic flour
50 g corn starch
30 g icing sugar
250 g butter
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla essence
4 egg yolks (2 for pastry and 2 for the egg wash)
Cloves (optional)
- Roll out little oblong balls the size of your thumb (up to the knuckle). The pineapple jam should be firm enough to hold its shape.
- Sift the flour and starch together into a bowl
- Sift the icing sugar into another mixing bowl, then add the softened (room temperature) butter, vanilla essence, salt. Beat with mixer till pale yellow and fluffy. Add 2 egg yolks and beat till combined.
- Add in flours and gently mix with spatula till just combined. Don't over mix or the pastry will be tough.
- Take a small chunk of dough about twice the size of the pineapple ball filling and shape it into a ball, then flatten with thumb in the palm of your hand till quite thin (about 2 mm).
- Place the filling in the center of the pastry and fold over the edges, sealing it in. Then snip with scissors the pattern of pineapple 'eyes' onto the pastry. Stick a clove into the top of the 'pineapple' so it looks like the stalk. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake in an 180 Celsius oven for 20 minutes.
- Enjoy!
