Happy Chinese New Year

I know it's still early for CNY but I've been anticipating about having a 5 days break since last week. Days were hectic before this and had sleepless nights. The weather have been very chilly especially at night where it can drop to a temperature of 23 degrees (definitely not normal in Singapore's context). Whenever you just take a walk outside in the afternoon, it isn't the striking sunlight anymore but a cool breeze that comes and go. Its also amazing how your floor tiles gets cool due to cold weather that makes you feel like laying on it and doze off the next minute ( no who said I did......). Okay. If you havent got any goodies for the coming festive season, this is the good time to make one before it arrives. Pineapple tarts. They always appear during Chinese New Year because it kind of symbolizes Prosperity. So make them and you will get rich.

Pineapple tarts

Ingredients:

180g Plain flour
20g Corn flour
40g Icing sugar
1 Egg yolk (lightly beaten with 1 tbsp ice water, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
150g Cold butter
1/2 tsp Salt
500g Pineapple Jam (store bought) ~ roll into a small ball about 8g each

Method:
1. In a large bowl, sift in plain flour, corn flour and icing sugar, mix well. Cut in butter and rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Make a well in a center, pour in beaten egg yolk with water and vanilla extract and bind the ingredients to a soft dough. (do not over knead) Add a little extra flour if dough is too soft.
3. Put dough in the fridge for 20-30 mins to firm up. Remove pastry from fridge. Roll pastry between two plastic sheets to about 5mm thickness, cut into shape with a pineapple tart mold and place in a greased lined baking tray and fill the center of tart with pineapple jam. Brush pastry with egg wash.
4. Bake for 15-20mins or till pastry turn golden brown at preheated oven 175C.
5. Cool tarts on wire rack and store in an airtight container.


Recipe adapted from Anncoo Journal. I did some amendments here and there.

Frankly speaking, my tarts aren't perfect because I did not have any pineapple tart moulds. I just use my fork to press down on the dough for the ''effect'' and it turned out pretty okay. As for the taste, melt-in-mouth pastry accompanied with sweetness of the pineapple jam. Your pineapple tarts do not literally have to be exactly like the store bought kinds. Make your own design with anything! You know, creativity.

(It's a unicorn because horses are everywhere and those are not mandarin oranges.....)

Once again, Happy Chinese New Year!