Bake or Air Fry!
Preparation time: 2.5 hours
Cooking/Baking time: 1-1.5 hours
Total time: 3.5–4 hours
Yields: ~20
Ingredients
Pineapple jam:
[Store bought] at least 100 grams
or
[Homemade]
1 (20oz) can pineapples
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cloves (optional)
Dough:
3/4 cup AP flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 pinch salt
4 tbsp butter (softened)
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk
Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water
1 tsp condensed milk
Others:
Kitchen scale for precision and even-sized tarts (optional)
Baking sheets and wax papers
Step 1: Jam the pineapples
Drain the pineapples and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Blend pineapples until smooth. Pour into a non-stick pan, and cook at medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, add sugar and optional cloves. It will bubble and pop a lot in the beginning, so stir often, also to prevent burning. This process is slow and long — took me almost an hour. Once liquid has mostly evaporated, keep cooking until pineapple jam is dry and hold its own shape (this will make rolling much easier). Remove cloves, let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate until use.
Tip: I find spreading it into a thin layer onto a plate or baking sheet will cool it faster.
Image(s) for reference:
Step 2: Prepare the dough
In a bowl, sieve flour, cornstarch, and pinch of salt together. In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar, then add egg yolk and mix well. Sieve in dry ingredients and knead until it forms a cohesive dough. Wrap/cover and let rest for 15 min.
Image(s) for reference:
Step 3: Roll the pineapple jam into balls
Weigh out jam into 4–5 gram pieces and roll them into balls. Lay them out on a baking sheet with wax paper. Without a kitchen scale, you can just divide them into 20 equal pieces.
Step 4: Roll the dough into balls
Weight out dough into 8–9 gram pieces and roll them into balls. Lay them out on a baking sheet with wax paper. Similarly, without a kitchen scale, you can just divide them into 20 equal pieces.
Step 5: Assemble
Flatten a piece of dough with the palms of your hands — about 1/8" thick. Wrap a ball of jam inside and close it off by pinching and rubbing. Then roll it with the palms of your hands to smooth it out. This part takes practice, don’t worry if it cracks sometimes! It’s a part of the look, and it will still taste delicious! :) Lay them out about an inch apart.
Image(s) for reference:
Step 6: Bake and egg wash
Bake or air fry in batches at 325°F for 10 mins. Prepare egg wash during this time. Remove tarts from oven/air fryer (if using oven, turn down temperature to 300°F). Egg wash the tarts — I find two layers to be the best. Pop the tarts back in at 300°F for another 8–10 mins until they are golden yellow. Remove from oven/air fryer and let cool completely before transferring to an air tight jar.
Notes: temperature may vary due to differences in oven/air fryer.