With the lunar new year coming in less than a week, the only cookies I’ve made are pineapple tarts. I’ve stopped making many types of cookies, because with the abundance of new year cookies everywhere, everyone is overloaded on such treats and it’s difficult to eat up everything you make.
These pineapple jam balls are made using grating method. I find this easier, for me, and it definitely takes less time.
Pineapple jam (modified from Huang Kitchen)
- 4 medium pineapples, skinned and ‘eyes’ removed (I used 2 half-ripe, 2 ripe)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 clove
- a large pinch of powdered cinnamon
- 8-10 blades of pandan leaves, washed and tied into a knot
- 250-300 grams caster sugar (use less if using fully ripe pineapples)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- juice from 1 lemon, optional (use less if do not want the jam to be too sour)
- Slice pineapple into quarters.
- Grate pineapple using the large hole grater on the box grater. Do not grate the core.
- Strain the juice from the grated pineapple. Save the juice for later.
- In a large non-stick wok, fry the grated pineapple and the spices over medium high heat.
- When mixture boils, slowly add in the saved juice, little by little as you continue to fry. Do this until all the juice is used.
- Add in lemon juice, if using.
- Add in caster sugar and salt.
- Fry until desired consistency.
- Let it cool before rolling into little balls, using a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon.
Notes:
- Sugar is not added in from the start because if you do so, the sugar will caramelise as the jam cooks and the jam will become quite dark.
- Jam that is not dry enough will cause pineapple tarts to become mouldy quite fast, as I found out last year. It was quite a painful lesson. On the other hand, jam that is too dry will be too stiff. So watch the fire closely, particularly after adding sugar. A good indication that the jam is ready will be when it gets stickier and turns a golden brown hue, as this indicates the liquid is fully evaporated and the sugar has started to caramelise.
For the dough, I used the same recipe as last year. No more testing. This will be it if I make pineapple tarts. It is sturdy enough that it will not crumble in the bottle, yet tender enough to melt in the mouth.
Pineapple tarts (from Gan55/Josh)
- 250 grams salted butter
- 50 grams cream cheese
- 75 grams caster sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 170 grams whipping cream
- 400 grams cake flour
- 30 grams corn flour
- 1 egg yolk mixed well with 1 tsp caster sugar, for glazing
- Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until well mixed.
- Add in egg yolks, one at a time.
- Add in whipping cream and mix for 2 minutes. It will turn grainy and lumpy.
- Add in flour and corn flour in 2 additions. Mix until just combined.
- Dough will look more like cake batter. Chill it for 20 minutes before rolling.
- Glaze finished tarts with egg yolk and bake at 170 C for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Notes:
- It is easier and faster to portion out all the dough using a 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon. Chill each tray of rolled out dough before wrapping.
- I got 158 pieces of pineapple tarts, just enough to fill 4 small bottles. I love the grated jam but found it slightly on the sour side, since I foolishly poured in all the lemon juice without tasting. And that was with the sugar on the high side too! Ah well, we live and learn, daily.
With Netflix going on my ipad, I found I had finished the entire lot of rolling and baking in no time. 🙂
Happy lunar new year to everyone!
eelmsthebaker 