Easy Pineapple Tarts Recipe is made with buttery rich short-crust pastry shells with fresh pineapple filling that is spiced with nutmeg and clove. These tarts can be shaped into rounds, wrapped around the filling, or even stuffed into pastry-like balls. This recipe is so simple and can be enjoyed either with a cup of tea or as a dessert!
My very first introduction to the quintessential Pineapple Tarts was through my husband’s aunt. Her Malaysian-Chinese heritage allowed her to tap into the Peranakan recipes. Believe me, her recipe for the Pineapple Tarts is the most delicious I have ever had and is quite easy to make.
I have enjoyed these delicious tarts everywhere in Singapore, Malaysia and even Indonesia. I cannot reiterate how much I love having them for dessert or for tea. I did not use the traditional cutter, as I could not find it anymore after our move to California from Colorado, years ago. So I have used other cutters for my children who liked more of the pastry and less of the filling back then. Although, now they seem to love the small round bite-sized Pineapple Tarts a lot.
Origin:
There is perhaps an assumption that the origin of these simple Pineapple Tarts recipe is Chinese. That is not the case. It is wholly Southeast Asian. This assumption grew because customarily Pineapple Tarts are exchanged between families during Chinese New Year. This is so since the golden sheen of this glorious tropical fruit is associated with wealth or more accurately gold.
In fact, pineapples have been a traditional symbol of welcome and hospitality with the American colonists. Trade routes between the Caribbean and New England were perilously slow. So it was a symbol of wealth to serve guests ripe pineapples.
The pineapple, in fact, has its origins in South America. Christopher Columbus called it piña de Indes because he thought that he had discovered India and the fruit reminded him of the European pinecone. Somewhere during its sojourn through Europe, the English added the antecedent -apple because they thought it sounded more attractive and, voilà ~ pineapple.
It was the Portuguese who introduced the fruit through the rest of their colonies in the Caribbean, Africa, India, and then to Malacca. It was there, during the late 16th century that the Peranakan tradition of blending east and west started to take shape to these quick Pineapple Tarts recipe.
Southeast Asia at this time was the much sought-after home of the ‘Spice Islands’. Fast on the heels of the Portuguese were the Dutch. While the Portuguese may have brought the pineapple to Southeast Asia, it was the Dutch who supplied the rich short crust pastry that houses this delectable dessert. In fact, when we visited Bengkulu, Indonesia, we found that the Pineapple Tarts there were large, crimped, and encased in lattices – very Dutch!
So, now we have the pineapple and the pastry, but what makes a Pineapple Tart, oh so Southeast Asian? Well, they do not call them the Spice Islands for nothing! Adding to the pineapple jam are the traditional Southeast Asian favorites: palm sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves.
That is what I love about this dessert. It has so many elements from so many regions that it is a very global dish. Now there are those who say that the pineapple tart is traditionally Singaporean. As my Singaporean husband would ask, “How can that be, lah?” Until some 57 years ago, both Singapore and Malaysia were Malaya and ruled by the British.
This Easy Pineapple Tarts recipe, as it stands, predates even the British, so it stands to reason that this is not a unique Singaporean tradition. This dish can be found everywhere from Malaysia to Indonesia. In fact, pineapples were seen as fast-growing cash crops to sustain the slow growing rubber plantations in Malaysia. Singapore’s claim to fame was that in addition to being a major port, one of its earliest manufacturing industries was the canning and export of pineapples. In fact, a Peranakan in Singapore, Lim Nee Soon was known as the “Pineapple King”.
Like most Southeast Asian dishes, the heritage of this dessert belies politics and trade. Now, of course, you can buy Pineapple Tarts year round at chains like Bengawan Solo in Singapore. But to be honest, these recipes do not hold a candle to the original Peranakan recipe that my husband’s Malaysian-Chinese aunt gave me.
I hope that you love these Easy Pineapple Tarts Recipe (the recipe card is below). I would love to hear from you if have tried this recipe. Please leave a rating and/or comments below if you liked this recipe or have other suggestions. From my pen to your table, Bon Appetit!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the difference between coconut palm sugar and caster or granulated sugar?
Coconut palm sugar is less refined than brown sugar, contains healthy fats, has only 75% of sucrose, and prevents high cholesterol.
Can margarine be used instead of butter for the pastry?
The short answer is yes. I have known our Chinese neighbors who would use margarine and share their wonderful pineapple tarts with us. I personally prefer the buttery short crust pastry for these tarts.
Should I add condensed milk to the pastry?
There are home chefs who use a small amount of condensed milk and some times even milk powder in their pastries. I have not found the need for these ingredients as my recipe that is so simple to make yields delicious Pineapple Tarts every time.
Ingredients:
- Butter: Unsalted butter or if you are using salted butter, then do not add any salt. Good quality European butter is the best option to make the short crust pastry for apple or pineapple tarts.
- Coconut palm sugar: Rock brown or caster sugar can also be used.
- Filling: Pineapple filling or pineapple jam
- Spices: I have used nutmeg and clove, you could also use cinnamon.
- Flour: All-purpose flour
How to make these Easy Pineapple Tarts using my recipe:
- How to make the pineapple filling:
- How to make the pastry:
- How to make the pineapple filling:
- Heat a small deep pot and add the grated pineapple and its juice. Add the coconut palm sugar, salt, clove, and butter. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon and scrape the sides of the pot.
- Cook for 14 minutes or until the filling has thickened and most of the juices have evaporated. Add the grated nutmeg and mix well. This mixture should not be too runny or too dry but slightly moist. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature or refrigerate it.
2. How to make the pastry:
- Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and salt mixture. Add the ice cold water beaten with the egg yolk and knead to a firm dough. Chill the dough wrapped in cling film for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Place the cut shells on a greased baking tray one inch apart from each tart. Spoon some of the cooled filling on top.
- Make shallow cuts on the pastry to form a design on them. Brush with egg yolk mixed with heavy cream. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown color.
- Serve the Pineapple Tarts with hot tea or coffee or even for dessert.
- Please do not over-knead the dough as it can become hard. This is a delicate rich short crust pastry that does not require kneading. You bring the crumbly together either with your hands or the food processor or stand mixer, giving it a quick spin until combined.
- There is no need to handle the dough too much as the heat from our hands can soften or sometimes even melt the butter.
- Rub in the butter into the flour sifted with salt using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until they look like breadcrumbs. These little lumps of butter will melt and create steam which cause air pockets between the layers, thus making the pastry slightly flaky.
- Fresh pineapple is best for these easy to make Pineapple Tarts recipe. But not everyone can find fresh tropical fruits in their neighborhood. So if you are using canned pineapple, then reduce the amount of added sugar. Rock sugar and coconut sugar are less sweet than caster sugar, so increase the amount if you use caster sugar.
- The pineapple filling is darker in color since I have used coconut palm sugar. If you like a light golden color filling, then use caster sugar.
Serving suggestions:
These delicious, festive Pineapple Tarts are perfect with tea, coffee or as a dessert.
Storage:
The pineapple filling can be made using my Mango Jam recipe ahead of time. Store the jam in sterilized dry glass jars with lids and refrigerate for even up to four months. The jars have to be airtight and free from any moisture or there will be mold on it very soon.
Other tarts recipes that you might want to try:
Easy Pineapple Tarts Recipe
Equipment
- small pan, baking trays, oven
Ingredients
For the pineapple filling:
- 1½ cup pineapple grated with juice
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp butter unsalted
- ¼ tsp nutmeg grated
- 1 clove
For the pastry:
- ½ lb all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 oz butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp water ice cold
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
How to make the pineapple filling:
- Heat a small deep pot and add the grated pineapple and its juice. Add the coconut palm sugar, salt, clove, and butter. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon and scrape down the sides of the pot.
- Cook for 14 minutes or until the filling has thickened and most of the juices have evaporated. Add the nutmeg and mix well. This mixture should not be too runny or too dry but slightly moist. Let the mixture cool down or refrigerate it.
How to make the pastry:
- Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and salt mixture. Add the water beaten with the egg yolk mixture and knead to a firm dough. Chill the dough wrapped in cling film for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the dough to a ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Place the cut dough on a greased baking tray one inch apart from each tart. Place some of the cooled filling on top.
- Make shallow cuts on the pastry to form a design on them. Brush with egg yolk mixed with heavy cream. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown color.
- Serve the Pineapple Tarts with hot tea or coffee or even for dessert.
Notes
- Feel free to cut into desired shapes or crimper. You could even choose to stuff or wrap the filling with the pastry.
Nutrition
I tried this recipe over the weekend, and my kids loved it! The ice cream shape is so cute!