Country Pineapple Tarts

Compote d'Ananas sur Sablés

What was I emptying a few cans of pineapple for yesterday? Why, for making Pineapple Tarts, of course! If you have been following this blog, you will know by now that Lotus doesn't like hard work and if she does anything, it'll more often than not require minimum effort. She doesn't believe in spending hours cooking something that will be gobbled up in a few minutes.

I have been thinking about pineapple tarts and once I started thinking about them, I realised that actually it need not be a labour-intensive operation. The pastry is made by just combining simple ingredients using the rubbing-in method and that I have learnt when I was 13. The pineapple filling is a pineapple compote and God knows that I've made fruit compotes of all colours daily when the children were still babies. So we're off.

However, do not expect pretty, artistically-designed tarts as I'm a minimum effort kind of gal. Besides, we live in the country, and the tarts were baked in a country kitchen. They will look rustic. Maybe I should call them Compote d'Ananas sur Sablés.

Pineapple Tarts (makes 60) :

The Pineapple Jam :

700g Pineapple slices (I used canned Indonesian pineapples)
180g Sugar

1 small Cinnamon bark

4-5 whole Cloves

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

Juice of half a Lemon

2-3 Pandan leaves

The Pastry Base :

400g Flour (sifted)

250g Butter (cold, cubed)

Pinch of Salt

4 Tbsp Sugar

3 Egg yolks (one for glazing - optional - I didn't bother)

Less than 1/4 cup Cold Water

I removed the pineapple slices from the can and pulped them in a food processor. However, I made sure that there were still bits of pineapple as I do not like it too fine. In fact, I don't like jam. Drain any liquid.

Before being cooked

Combine the pineapple, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, lemon and pandan leaves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer till the pineapple jam is dry. Stir from time to time. If you want a more caramelised jam, make a caramel first or cook it longer. I do not like dry pineapple jam. Set aside and let it cool. It can be kept up to a month in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cooked Pineapple jam (still a little wet)

Heat the oven to 165°C.

In a big bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt and sugar. Rub in the small, cold cubed butter with your finger tips till they resemble breadcrumbs. You need a cold environment for this.

Add the egg yolks and cold water into the flour mixture and lightly bind the pastry. It doesn't have to be kneaded.

I used a silicon mat and a wooden roller I use to roll out pasta. Take a bit of the dough and roll it out to desired thickness. Using a pastry cutter, cut out circles and fill them with the pineapple jam. You could decorate, glaze etc the pastry - but I didn't bother.

Bake them in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes.

Yesterday I met the mom of a Spanish mom here and got to visit this new building near the school which had always intrigued me. Lady's lovely, I ended up staying more than an hour (when I planned on staying for 20 minutes - kids ended up missing tennis) trying to chat her up in my now-broken Spanish. They live between Jaén and Granada and that made me feel close to her because I have lived nearly 2 years in Jaén. I probably also have a thing for older women, a reflex from my years volunteering with the elderly. But she's not at all old, of course. Doesn't look old, anyway.

And why did I meet her? Folks, I have found someone to cash my El Gordo ticket.