GONG XI FA CHAI!

I would like to wish all my friends and families A Happy Chinese New Year!! May year 2008 be filled with happiness, prosperity, good health and lots of money flowing in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year, I will be going back to Ipoh for CNY!! I just can't wait!! I miss Ipoh so so much... I miss the food.. I miss the slowness.. I miss the air... i miss the traffic.. and most of all I miss my parents..:( Anyway, I will be able to see them real soon!!!!!!

Pineapple tarts is a must for CNY. It is because it is called "ONG LAI" in Hokkien and it literally means "Luck is on its way!!" So... I must have these at home!! haa... I came across this recipe and it's really easy! For those of you who stay in Singapore or Malaysia, I'm quite sure you can readily buy pineapple paste from any specialty baking stores or supermarket but for those staying abroad, I'm not sure if it is available. Worse come to worst you have to cook the paste yourself! haa... Good Luck!




For the Pastry

340g Plain Flour
2 tbsp Icing sugar
1/2 tsp salt
200g Cold unsalted butter
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
5 tsp cold water
1/2 tsp baking powder

Egg wash: Lightly beat 1 yolk with 1 tsp water

Method:
1. Lightly beat egg yolk with vanilla essence.
2. Sieve flour, baking powder and icing sugar into mixing bowl. Stir in salt and blend well.
3. Put all butter into flour mixture and cut up butter into small pieces with a knife in the flour.
4. Use rubbing-in method to rub in butter into the flour until it is bread crumbs like.
5. Add egg yolk and ice water into flour and use a fork to blend well to form a dough.
6. Put dough into freezer bag and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove dough from the fridge.
7. Cut out the tart bottoms with a pineapple tart cutter or round cookie cutter and place onto a baking sheet prepped with baking paper.
8. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes, remove from oven, apply egg wash and lightly press the pineapple filling onto the indentations of the tarts. Bake again at 180C for 10 – 15 minutes or until the golden colour that you desired.


Alternatively

7.You may make pineapple balls: pinch a small portion of dough, about 25g flatten manually and use it as a wrap around a pineapple jam ball.
8.Place the tarts/balls on a flat baking dish and apply egg wash on the top of the tarts/balls. Bake in a 180C oven for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the crispy-ness of the tart you desire. (i.e. bake longer for a harder, crispier, tart crust) or until the pastry is a pale gold.




HAPPY BAKING!!! and GONG XI FA CHAI once again....