Pineapple tarts

These pineapple tarts need no further introduction as they are one of the must have delicacies during Chinese New Year.  The ingredients are pretty basic using a pastry very similar to the western pastry used in tarts and pies crusts. The only difference is the filling which is made out of pineapple jam which taste best if home made.  I tried this recipe for the first time which is from the cookbook NutriPlus, Think Out of the Shell Volume II,  which I won from Shannon of Just as Delish's contest giveaway event sometime back. The recipe is by Jenni Khoo, of Jenni's Homemade Cakes in Penang.

The pastry is soft enough to pipe out 

Here's the recipe, adapted from the book
Ingredients:
For pineapple jam
4 cups Blended and strained pineapple (I just chop up the pineapples)
360g sugar
2-3 pandan leaves or
1 cinnamon stick

This is how I prepare the jam:

Place chopped pineapples in a wok and cook until the pineapples are almost dry. Let the pineapple cooled down before using a blender to blend it fine. Replace the blended pineapple into the wok and bring to a boil before adding sugar.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly to avoid burning the jam. It is done when the jam is thick and shiny.

This is my pineapple jam which I made one day ahead 

Ingredients for the pastry:

120g Plain flour

120g Self raising flour

150g Cold butter, diced (suggested to use Golden Churn Butter because it has the right oily consistency)

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoon Ice water

pinch of salt (omitted)

Ready for the oven

To make the tarts:

1.  Sift all flours together into a mixing bowl and add the salt if using.

2.  Blend butter and flour with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (I used the stand mixer to do this)

3. Mix egg yolk with the water, and add to the flour mixture and lightly knead to form a soft dough.

4. Pump out pastry into stripes and put a teaspoon of pineapple jam on the pastry and roll up. Cut off excess and repeat until all the pastry dough is used up.

5. Glaze with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 180DegC for 15 minutes or until light golden in color.

Cooling down before storing in air tight containers

Yummy! The tangy pineapple jam goes very well with the  pastry

* I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe, Bake for Happy Kids,