Reader Recipe: Golden Yuan Bao Pineapple Tarts

I am proud to have helped my mum create our Golden Yuan Bao Pineapple Tarts for Chinese New Year. I remembered grandma told me before that Chinese people celebrate the CNY by placing golden yuan bao (gold ingots) in their house to bring wealth and prosperity. Our painstaking effort to mould each tart paid off when our relatives were so impressed. The best compliment was, "Where did you get the Yuan Bao tart moulds?"

  

227g unsalted cold butter (cut into cubes) 

400g plain flour

½ tsp salt (sieve together)

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon iced water

500g commercial pineapple jam (Singlong Brand is recommended)

1 egg + a drop of yellow colouring (egg wash for brushing tarts)

 

 

1. Pre-roll the pineapple jam into round balls (10g).

 

2. Measure the necessary ingredients for the Pineapple Tarts.

 

3. Preheat oven to 180°C or 365°F.

 

4. Mix sieved flour into butter cubes using rubbing-in method. Add egg yolk and iced water to form pliable dough.

 

5. Leave dough to rest for 15 minutes.

 

6. Divide dough into round balls (14g).

 

7. Wrap enough dough around each pre-rolled pineapple jam. You should leave some dough to make two ‘round petals’ to stick to each side of the jam ball.

 

8. Place each ‘Yuan Bao’ pineapple tart on the baking tray.

 

9. Brush egg wash on top of tart.

 

10. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden in colour.