Aspiring Bakers #3: My Favorite CNY Cookie - Pineapple Tarts

I'm submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #3: My Favorite CNY Cookie hosted by j3ss kitch3n. More information can be found here. Join in the fun! =D

Pineapple Rolls/Tarts

Pineapple filling's ingredients:

2	Pineapple (~1kg each)
40 g	Sugar (or to taste)
4	Cinnamon sticks
2	Star anise

Method:

1.    Peel the pineapples and cut out the black eyes. Cut the pineapples into pieces. (Remove core). Blend till fine.

2.    Pour blended pineapple into frying pan and cook for a while before adding sugar, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.

3.    Cook till it thickens and dry enough to handle. Set aside to cool.

4.    Once cool, shape the pineapple jam into small balls. (I made about 50 [1 tsp-size] balls)

The bottom right picture: Left (more bright yellow) are cooked for shorter time (wetter). The right one are more dry.

Notes:

1.    I put about 4 tsp of sugar when cooking the pineapple. The pineapples itself are very sweet and my family prefer less sweet and sour-ish jam. Do add more sugar (about ~100g).

2.    My jam were not coked till very dry – just enough to handle to form into balls.

3.    When forming the balls, wetting your hand helps.

4.    I made about 50 (1 tsp size balls) – too little for the amount of dough >.< Have to add more pineapple in the future.

Pastry recipe adapted from Fresh from the Oven. Changes made in red.

Ingredients:

375 g	All-purpose flour
2 tbsp	Cornstarch
1/4	Teaspoon salt
220 g	Unsalted butter (room temp)
50 30 g	Icing sugar
1/2	Vanilla bean
2	Egg yolks

1	Egg yolk, for egg wash

Method:

1.    Sieve all-purpose flour and corn flour. Set aside.

2.    Beat butter and icing sugar until it turns light in color and fluffy. Add in vanilla beans and egg yolks until well combined.

3.    Slowly beat in the flour mixture until just combined.

Assemble tart:

1.    Roll dough into small rounds.

2.    Flatten the dough and used it to cover the prepared pineapple jam. Shape it anyway you prefer.

3.    Brush with egg wash and baked in preheated oven at 180 degree C for 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown. 

Tried different patterns. Pillow, round, and pineapple.

Notes:

1.    My dough are ½ tbsp size.

2.    Mum loved it, especially the jam. But Dad mentioned that the pastry is too flaky, too "melt-in-the-mouth" for his taste. I believe it is due to the corn flour. Reduce the amount of corn flour if you prefer harder texture.

Rolled the left over dough into crushed corn flakes.

Argh! Half gone! Don't think it will last till CNY. D=

It was my first time making pineapple tarts and it was definitely a fun process and good experience! I really enjoyed it. =D (Except being attacked by hoards of mosquitoes. >.<)

Hope everyone had a fun time preparing for the festive season (or just baking in general).

Cream Cheese Tarts

Had a few blocks of cream cheese left in the fridge (bought a lot when it went on sale) and I decided to make some cheese tarts (one of my Mum’s favorite). Browsed through my collection of recipes and found a few recipes for cheese tarts. I simply pick one to try. Not sure where I got the recipe from…if anyone seen the same/similar recipe, do tell me, so I can credit that person.

The recipe makes about 20 tarts but since Mum is the only one that eats cheese tarts in the family, I halved the recipe.

Original recipe:

Ingredients

Tart shell

Butter                  120 g (I used less butter)

Sugar                   60 g (I reduced the sugar used)

Egg yolk              1

Superfine flour     250 g


Cream cheese filling

Cream cheesecheese      180 g

Butter                             20 g (I used less butter)

Caster sugar                   30 g

Egg                                1

Lemon juice                   ½ tsp (omitted)

Methods

Tart Shells

1.      Cream butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy, add yolk, and finally add flour. Knead the dough by hand.

2.      Scale the dough and divide it.

3.      Push the dough using hand evenly to the mould. Then, make holes at the base using a fork.

4.      Bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

5.      Gently tap the mold to release the shell and leave it aside to cool completely.

  

I get 8 tart shells from the recipe.

I think I made the tart shells a bit too thick.

Cream Cheese Filling

1. Cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and fluffy, add egg and continue to beat till smooth.
2. 1。Then, add lemon juice. Mix well. (I added a teaspoon of milk)
3. Fill the tarts with the cream cheese and add a little jam of choice. Draw using a toothpick.
4. Bake in 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
5. Remove and leave it to cool. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.



I did not have enough cream cheese filling but I was too lazy to make more.



I added strawberry jam.
I fail at making nice swirly patterns.