Pineapple Tarts (CNY)

With Chinese New Year approaching, some of my blog readers requested that I post some cookies and simple snacks recipes.  I have already posted the recipe for Beef Bak Kwa and more recipes will come very soon ..... the next one will be Kuih Bangket or Bangkit Sagu!

This Pineapple Tarts recipe belongs to my mum and this time, I made them slightly different.

Dough Ingredients (yields 80 pieces - 3.5 cm dia):
250 g soft butter
2 egg yolks (medium-size)
about 400 g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Filling Ingredients:
3 ripe Del Monte pineapples
2 cups sugar or according to one's taste
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces cardamon
3 pcs of tiny rock sugar

Method:
Skin and remove pineapple trunk.  Grate pineapples and transfer to a fine sieve over a bowl. Leave aside for about half an hour.  Save the juice in a jug and set aside.  In a medium-size pot, add grated pineapples, cinnamon stick, cardamon, sugar and rock sugar. Cook over low/medium heat until dry and dark in colour.  If the filling looks dry before it turns dark, add a little bit of pineapple juice.  This cooking of filling will take at least 3 to 4 hours depending on the heat used or it can be cooked by spreading over a few days.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and water together.  Then, add in vanilla essence, salt and flour.  Continue kneading until a pliable dough is formed.

Roll out pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut the dough by using a pineapple cutter (3.5 cm diameter) below.  This time, I used the plain mould and pinched the design on them. Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.

Divide filling into 5 g portions and form them into tiny balls.

Add filling to the centre of tart dough. Then, decorate tarts with a star using the balance dough:  roll out dough to a thickness of 0.2 cm.  I use my fondant cutter for this purpose.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (140° C) for about 40 minutes.  You may bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 180° C.  Kindly note that your oven's temperature might be different from mine.  Please observe the baking time carefully. Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin - place a pergament paper between each layer.

Another option is to form the dough into little fruits with cloves as stalks.  Divide dough into 12 g portions and form them into balls.

Divide filling into 9 g portions and form them into balls.  You need to wet your hands when it gets sticky.

Take a portion of dough and flatten it on your palm to about 5 cm in diameter.  Place a portion of filling in the middle.  Flatten the outer circumference of dough in order that the filling can be contained.  Smooth all seams and form into a ball.  Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.

Brush with egg yolk and position a clove on top as shown below.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (140° C) for about 40 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin - place a pergament paper between each layer.

Happy Baking!