Ingredients
| PINEAPPLE JAM | |
| 1kg fresh pineapple, skinned, eyes removed | |
| 1 cinnamon stick | |
| 150g caster sugar | |
| PASTRY | |
| 225g salted butter, softened | |
| 450g plain flour | |
| 90g caster sugar | |
| 4 tablespoons brandy | |
| 1¼ teaspoons vanilla essence | |
| ¾ teaspoon salt | |
| 1 egg yolk, plus 1 extra egg yolk for glazing |
These tiny morsels were a Chinese New Year sweet treat when I was growing up. They really are better as teeny treats so I recommend not taking any shortcuts by doubling the size. I used a pineapple tart mould from Homebakes, or use an ordinary cookie cutter.
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oven to 160°C. |
| 2. | For the pineapple jam, cut the pineapple into rough chunks, put into a food processor and blend well. |
| 3. | Use a sieve to strain the blended pineapple, setting the drained pineapple aside and reserving the juice for cocktails. |
| 4. | In a medium pot, heat the drained pineapple pulp, cinnamon stick and sugar over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture dries and turns caramel brown (about 30 minutes – watch it as it burns easily at the end). |
| 5. | Cool completely in the fridge – this makes it firm up nicely, so you can roll teeny jam balls and expand the pastry safely when pressing the ball of jam into the dough. |
| 6. | For the pastry, use a food processor to combine all the pastry ingredients and process until combined. |
| 7. | Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until the dough is formed. |
| 8. | Roll the dough to ½ cm thickness, using minimal amounts of flour to prevent the dough from sticking. |
| 9. | Cut tart shells using a pineapple tart mould and set out on a large baking tray (or two medium trays). If you don’t have a pineapple tart mould, use a 5cm cookie cutter to cut pastry rounds, then dip the tip of your finger in flour and press a small well in the middle of each circle. |
| 10. | Beat the remaining egg yolk then lightly brush it over the pastry shells before you fill them. |
| 11. | Do not eggwash the jam as it will burn. |
| 12. | Roll the pineapple filling into small balls about 1½–2cm in size and put one into each tart shell, pressing down lightly to fill out to the sides of the well. |
| 13. | Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes until the tarts are golden brown. |
| 14. | Cool on a wire rack, store in an airtight container until required. |
| 15. | Perfect with a cup of tea. |
Recipes & food styling Connie Clarkson / Photography Manja Wachsmuth