Pineapple Tarts
First posted in Jan 2009, updated with new recipe & photos in Jan 2014.
With Chinese New Year (CNY) slightly less than a month away (19 Feb 2015), have you started your CNY baking? To me, pineapple tarts (黄梨酥) are the most representative snack of the festive CNY season, so if I can only bake one item, that will definitely be pineapple tarts. They are so popular because the pineapple, pronounced as “ong lai” in dialect, sound as auspicious as they are delicious. They also have a golden finish which signifies wealth and prosperity. I think they look like a very pretty and cheerful sunflower. This is a recipe for open-faced pineapple tarts.
I wasn’t satisfied with the old recipe put up in 2009, and I am glad to update my blog in 2015 with a much improved and better-tasting pineapple tart recipe, complete with practical tips and detailed step-by-step photos (thanks to the SO for taking them). We tried and tweaked several recipes before arriving at this version. This is an easy recipe which does not require any mixer. The tart pastry is crumbly and buttery.
See Also:
I used store-bought pineapple tart jam from Kwong Cheong Thye (not so sweet). You can also buy them from Phoon Huat (sweeter than Kwong Cheong Thye) or the local supermarkets. I hope that in the near future, I can find the energy to make my own pineapple tart jam from scratch (used to make them as a kid and it was such hard work to grate the pineapples).
Step-by-Step Photos (Pineapple Tarts)
Note: Measurements are at the Printable Recipe
In a large bowl, sift in flour, corn flour and salt.
Add cold, cubed butter.
Rub the butter (fats) into the flour using your fingertips.
Do so until they resemble coarse bread crumbs as shown.
Add egg yolk, icing sugar and cold water.
Gently knead the dough until it comes together. Do not overknead. As seen from the photo, the dough is not completely smooth and there are specks of butter. That is all right.
Tip: Add a bit more flour if the dough is sticky. Add a bit of cold water (1/2 tbsp at a time) if the dough is too dry.
Divide the dough into four small portions, wrapped in cling film and refrigerated for 30 minutes for the dough to firm up slightly, so that it is easier to roll and work with later.
Tip: Work on a small portion of dough each time, so that they are always cold and easier to handle.
While waiting for the dough to chill, weigh and measure pineapple tart jam to 6 grams balls.
Prepare work surface and dust it with flour.
Take out one portion of dough from the fridge. Use small amount of flour, if required, and knead it slightly such that it is no longer sticky yet not dry.
This is the correct texture of the pastry dough. You should be able to imprint easily as shown.
Coat rolling pin with flour. Using quick and short strokes, roll the dough to 7mm thickness.
Use pineapple tart mould (cookie cutter) to cut out the shape of the tart.
Tip: Twist it around a bit to get a defined and precise cut.
Dust inner mould with liberal amounts of flour.
Fit inner mould into tart cutter and press firmly to get the flower design.
Gently take out the pastry tart from the mould. The petal design should be clearly imprinted.
Brush the tart shells with egg wash.
Arrange the egg washed tart shells on a baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes.
Take out the tray, press pineapple jam ball into cavity of each partially baked tart shell. Continue baking for 5 minutes.
Tip: The reason for baking the tart shell first before adding the jam, is so that the jam do not look dried-out after baking. You can bake the pineapple tart with jam (one step), for 15 minutes, if preferred.
The beautifully baked pineapple tarts (close-up).
When they are cooled, store the tarts in air-tight containers.
we both post the same cookies!! lol! You know what it’s my 1 st time making this cookies,but I bought the filling from Malaysia,so I’m cheating too! lol! I have no idea how to do it and the dough will breaking away from me.Then I visit “how to make pineapple tart in You Tube” and got it at last! lol!
Yours look good man!!
WOw they look really pretty and delicious! And I can understand your pain! I helped my mum with some last year and I gave up after making maybe 5.
Thumbs up! I just visited beachloverkitchen’s blog and she got some to offer too!! This is really a CNY thingy that I miss! :D
Pineapple goodies look like fun, but I want to open another subject if you do not mind. I am a new subscriber and would like to know if you have yet addressed “straits” cooking, or “straits” food. Would love to know more about that. Thanks
BTW, the 3 cup chicken was great, just my thing. :up:
They look so great! It does get frustrating when something gets so time consuming, but they look delicious.
Thank you all for your kind words! :D
Su-Lin, I think there is a chance they may stock it because Phoon Huat is a baking store and so they have lots of baking supplies. When are u coming? ;p
LCOM, SSB, I find the closed ones easier to make! =D
Pepy & Selby, thank you … I learnt a new name for pineapple tarts in Indonesian … and it sounds pretty!
beachlover, I should have totally checked out the youtube vid b4 starting, heh… thanks for letting me know!
Patricia, hi and thanks for visiting me. Straits food meaning Nyonya food? I am not faimiliar with Nyonya cuisine, but if I chance upon any nice recipes and try it out, I’ll be sure to post ;p
Your post reminds me that I need to make some again. Happy CNY! :)
These look good, and it was just the second attempt?? :up: wow!
Wiffy. You blew me away this time! Those are simply beautiful.
I adore those who can make pineapple tarts! I know yours must be good because pineapple tarts are best when made in small batches.
Well done!
beautiful photography makes your subject matter that much more appetizing. The honesty (hard to trim the edges of the tart) etc. makes your review that much more believable. well done!