Pineapple tarts or often called nastar in Indonesian and Malaysian languages, are small bite size pastries. Likewise, they either crown or pack these tarts with pineapple jam. Besides, they created pineapple tarts in South East Asia. They consider these tarts as “festive cookies”, as they usually eat them during the festive seasons. Like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. But pineapple tarts are available all year round retails stores and shops. Typically, there are three types of molds. The first type is an open and flat tart crowned with pineapple jam with layer of pastry below. While they make the second type of molds as jam packed spheres. Lastly, they make the third type of molds as rolls filled with jam. Plus open at both ends of each pastry.
Gluten Free Pineapple Tarts
For my gluten free version of this tart, I am making open tarts topped with pineapple jam. Likewise, I made my gluten free pineapple tart pastries with gluten free all purpose flour mixed with corn starch. Plus vegan butter and eggs. Resulting in a lavish, buttery, delicate and melt in your mouth texture. Besides, I prepared the pineapple jam by slowly reducing ground pineapple flesh. Together with sugar and spices like cinnamon, cloves and star anise. My pineapple tarts are not only tasty and delicious, they look like sunflowers as well. This pineapple tarts recipe is not only gluten free. But also low carb, vegetarian, dairy free, soy free, and nut free.
Check out my other gluten free Chinese New Year cookies recipes:
- Dragon Cookies;
- Peanuts Cookies;
- Cashew Nuts Cookies;
- Walnut Cookies;
- Paleo Almond Cookie;
- Daisy Custard Butter Cookies; and
- Cacao Dahlia butter Cookies.
Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Pineapples
Pineapples originated from South America. Whereby the native South Americans identified and used the therapeutic properties of pineapples. They used the juice to assist in absorption of food and for cleaning the skin. In traditional Chinese medicine, they consider the fruit to have a “neutralising” quality with a sweet and sour taste. Used to maintain coolness of the body during the summer heat. Also for healing illnesses like worms, diarrhoea, indigestion and sunburn.
Pineapple is a sweet, juicy and scented fruit packed with defensive phytonutrients. Likewise, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, as well as the protein digesting enzyme called bromelain. Other essential vitamins and minerals in pineapples are B Group of vitamins. Including vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B9 (folate) and vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid). As well as essential minerals like magnesium, manganese, and antioxidants and beta carotene. Consumption of pineapples may reduce the risk of cancer, blood clots, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Moreover, may support healthy skin and hair, weight loss and boosted energy.
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Jam
- 2 large pineapples 1.5kg/3.3Ib/53oz each pineapple (1.3kg /2.87Ib/45.9oz of pineapple flesh)
- 300 g caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 4 cloves
For the Pastry
- some gluten free all-purpose flour for dusting work surface
- 500 g gluten free all-purpose flour
- 50 g corn starch
- 2 large eggs
- 300 g vegan butter
- 50 g gluten free icing sugar also called powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar.
- 1 teaspoon xantham gum
- 3 tablespoons water
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg beaten for glazing the pastry
Instructions
For cooking the pineapple jam:
- Peel and remove cores of pineapples and roughly cut into small 1.5 inch pieces. Blend the pineapple pieces in a food processor until you get a coarse puree.
- Place the pineapple puree and spices into a wok, bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes to reduce the pineapple juice.
- Add in the caster sugar, stir and combine well, bring to a boil again. Then simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the pineapple jam has become a darker golden colour and has just thickened enough to roll into small balls. (Do not make the jam too dry as the baking process will dry up the jam further). Set aside and allow to cool.
- Once the pineapple jam has cooled down, using wet hands and a small teaspoon, roll the jam into small balls.
For the pastry:
- Sift the gluten free all-purpose flour and corn starch into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Then sprinkle in the xanthan gum and add vegan butter into the mixture. Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Add the icing sugar, eggs and 3 tablespoons water, gently knead to a soft dough (do not over knead). Divide the dough into 2 portions, wrap each portion in cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Remove one portion of the dough after chilling for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Dust work surface and rolling pin with gluten free flour. Roll the dough to 0.7 cm/ 0.3 inch thickness. Then cut the tart bases into 4 cm/1.6 inch with a round crinkle edged cookie cutter. Repeat with the second portion of the dough.
- Roll the pastry leftover into 0.3 cm/0.12 inch thickness and cut out the stars with the mini star cookie cutter. Set aside.
For assembling and baking the tarts:
- Using your thumb, carefully make a cavity into the centre of each tart base. Then brush all the tart bases including the edges with egg wash.
- Place a ball of pineapple jam onto the cavity of the tart base, tap to flatten the pineapple jam slightly.
- Preheat fan-forced oven to 160C or 320F.
- Place the tarts 1 cm/0.4 inch apart onto non-stick large baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake the tarts in the oven for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Store the tarts in airtight containers.
How long do these tarts last? Should I store them in the fridge or freezer?
Thanks
I normally keep these pineapple tarts in an air-tight container in the fridge. They can last up to a week in a cold fridge. 🙂
its also my husbands birthday. And Chicago does a new year celebration but we never seem to make it. hopefully some year. Ill come back and let you know how we liked the cookies. thank you for the gluten free recipes.
Looking forward to your feedback for these pineapple tarts. Enjoy! 🙂
My family does a very similar recipe. Except we make rounds folded over into half moons and stuffed like potstickers. Instead of cinnamon and clove we use nutmeg. I can’t wait to try your recipe. I usually make mine only at Christmas and didn’t get to this year.
Your version of pineapple tarts sounds very interesting with different spice used. These pineapple tarts are normally consumed during the festive season of Chinese New Year celebration. And this year, the first day of CNY (Year of the Rats) starts on 25 Jan to 8 Feb 2020. You can make these pineapple tarts for this upcoming special occasion. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂