The pineapple tart

Chinese New Year is right around the corner and the customs of the festival are unveiling itself. One of the popular traditions followed in Singapore and Malaysia is the gifting and serving of pineapple tarts. These lovely tarts are devoured by every household and accompany the customary feasting that goes on at the reunion dinner and the subsequent days that follow.

The pineapple tart is most symbolic as pineapple, Feng Li, literally means ‘the phoenix pear’. It is also commonly known as ‘Huang Li’ (in Mandain) or ‘Wong Lai’ (in Cantonese) or ‘Ong Lai’ (in Hokkien). The common vowel of ‘wong’ or ‘ong’ in the many Chinese dialect just means one thing which is ‘prosperity. So when these pineapple tarts are served during the Lunar New Year, it holds significance that by eating this cookie, it would bring prosperity and maybe a chance of good luck to the individual.

Ingredients
Plain butter, 300 gm

Plain flour, 510 gm

Condensed milk, one can

Egg yolks, 2

Another separate egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk, for egg wash

Pineapple filling, 700 gm

Method
Cream butter and condensed milk till light.

Add in egg yolk one at a time, and beat until combine.

Mix in flour, mix till become a soft and not sticky dough.

Roll pineapple filling into ball (8 g each) and roll dough into ball (10 g each).

Flatten a piece of dough and place a piece of the roll pineapple filling in the middle. Bring the edges of the dough together and press lightly to seal. Roll it in between your palms to shape it into a roll.

Cut few lines on the pineapple balls to create pineapple pattern, apply egg wash with a brush.

Bake in preheated oven at 165C (fan forced) for 23 minutes or till golden brown.

Cool completely before storing.

Homemade pineapple filling
1.5 kg pineapple flesh (from ripe pineapple but not over ripe), process finely in a food processor. Do not add water.

250 g coarse sugar (adjust according to the sweetness of the pineapple).

Method
Cook pineapple flesh together with the juices in a wok over medium low heat until water reduced, stir from time to time.

Add in sugar and cook over low heat till thick, stir from time to time, takes about one hour.

When cooled roll it into mini balls for the filling.

Recipe courtesy: 
Nasi and Mee