450g of pineapple filling
360g plain flour plus extra for dusting
2 tablespoons caster sugar
280g cold unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1 tbsp)
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Egg glaze: 1 egg yolk mixed with a few drops of water (to thin it)
Sift flour and sugar. Mix well. Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour mixture.Use fingertips to rub the butter into the flour.
Lightly beat egg yolks and vanilla essence and add to butter mixture. Combine and knead lightly to form a dough. Wrap the dough in clingwrap and chill it for an hour to firm it up. Chilling the dough makes it easy to handle.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Divide dough into two portions. Keep one portion chilled. Roll the other portion (on a floured surface) to a thickness of about 7mm. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Divide dough into two portions. Keep one portion chilled. Roll the other portion (on a floured surface) to a thickness of about 7mm. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes. Use a scraper (or knife) to lift the shapes and place on the tray. Create a dent in the middle of the cookie shape.Brush egg glaze over the edges of the shapes.Pinch about 1/2 tablespoon of pineapple filling and neaten it to form a ball. Compress it lightly, then place on a cookie shape.Preheat the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 10 minutes.
Place some dough in a disposable piping bag and snip off a little at the corner to create a small hole. Twist the top of the bag and pipe patterns on the pineapple filling.Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Using a flat spatula, transfer the tarts to a wire rack. Allow tarts to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Happy trying.
