Recipes

Festive Favourites

Malaysian Pineapple Tarts

Tart Nenas Gulung

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastry shells filled with a sticky-sweet pineapple jam — the iconic Hari Raya and Chinese New Year treat. This is the classic Malaysian rolled tart (tart nenas gulung), made the traditional way with homemade pineapple jam.

Ingredients

Pineapple Jam

• 2 pineapples, grated and drained
• 600 g sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2–3 drops yellow food colouring

Pastry

• 125 g butter (premium, e.g. Anchor)
• 1 tbsp caster sugar (~13 g)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp ghee (~14 g)
• 1¾ cup plain flour
• ¼ cup cornflour (~29 g)
• 1 tbsp custard powder (~8 g)
• ½ tsp fine salt (if using unsalted butter)

Egg Wash

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp water
• A drop of yellow food colouring

How to Make

Make the pineapple jam

1. Cook down. Cook the grated pineapple with sugar over medium heat, stirring often.
2. Finish. When nearly dry, add the cinnamon stick and yellow colouring. Continue cooking on low heat until thick and dry. Cool completely before using.

Make the pastry

1. Cream. Beat the butter (room temperature) with caster sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Add wet. Add the egg yolk, ghee and salt. Mix until combined.
3. Add dry. Sift the flour, cornflour and custard powder together. Add gradually to the butter mixture until you have a soft dough. Rest briefly.

Shape and bake

1. Roll and fill. Press the dough through a tart roller mould. Roll a small piece of pineapple jam into a log and place it in the centre of each pastry shell.
2. Egg wash. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with egg wash.
3. Bake. Bake at 175°C for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden.
4. Cool and store. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Store in an airtight container.