CNY Bakes: Melt in your mouth Pineapple Tarts

I am eagerly counting down to Chinese New Year.. another 3 more days before we shout HUAT AH! HUAT AH! My eldest, Zachary kept asking me when will we huat ah huat ah..hahaha. Cutest little thing.

As with all Chinese worldwide, this festive season marks the start of cleaning extensively, baking frenzy and changing new notes. I am no different. I started cleaning since Dec 2013, bit by bit since I don't have a helper. I couldn't finish cleaning of course but manage to do the necessary. I went an extra mile this year to put up some peonies and blossoms at home too. It makes the house looks better albeit my house is still very cluttered with toys! 

I started baking mid-Jan, so that I can have freshest bake for CNY! I left the baking of pineapple tarts to the last. As much as I would love to make my own pineapple paste, I decided not to burden myself with that tedious task but purchase ready made paste from Ailin Bakery. Their paste is slightly on the tangy side and not sweet at all. Just to my liking. Maybe I will try mixing it with paste from Sun Lik (another one of my fave). There are many ways to present pineapple tarts, open faced, enclosed version, nastar and recently peach blossom design (which is very very nice). I go with the easy way out, enclosed version. Hee

Having tried recipe from Nasi Lemak Lover last year, I love her version very much. Simple ingredients, melt in your mouth effect; not surprisingly I turn to her recipe again this year. I crimped my pineapple balls into rose-shaped..  slightly time consuming but rewarding because it turned out so beautiful and dainty.

Rose-shaped Pineapple Tarts (recipe adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover)

Yields approx 100 pcs

510g plain flour/ all-purpose flour

350g butter (I use 300g butter + 50g cream cheese) - bring both to room temperature

100g condensed milk

2 egg yolks

For glaze:

1 egg yolk

1 tsp milk

How?

- Cream softened butter and condensed milk until light

- Add in egg yolks one at a time and beat until well incorporated.

- Mix in flour using beater or spatula until soft dough is formed.

To shape rose-shaped pineapple tarts

- Shape pineapple paste into 8g - 9g balls (I did this step the night before)

- Flatten a piece of dough, 10g (I use a small ice cream scoop) and place pineapple paste on the dough. Roll it to the shape of a round ball.

- Using a crimper make a 'triangle' shape in the middle of the pineapple ball followed by a 5 crimps on the outer side.

- In order not to spoil the shaped tarts, I use a spray to fill with egg yolk and spray it on the tarts. This provides an even coating of egg glaze on the tarts. :)

- Bake at 165C (fan forced) for 20 - 23 minutes or until tarts are slightly brown.

- Store in air tight container when cooled.

I am linking this post to a Bake Along event, Chinese New Year Cookies for the month of Jan 2014 organised by Lena of Frozen Wing, Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Joyce of Kitchen Flavors.