Cream Cheese Pineapple Tarts For Chinese New Year

Is it coincidence or what?  When my daughter, Sharon asked me to have a look at the pineapple tarts she just made, i could not believe my eyes, the both of us used the same pineapple tart mold!!!!  We had a good laugh. 

When i was asked what i am grateful for, i will not hesitate and mentioned that the internet is what i am most grateful for............


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Pineapple Tart Filling

Ever since i owned a microwave oven in 1986, i have been using it alot to aid my cooking and it is the most used appliance in my kitchen. I would not have made or cooked so often if i have to slave on a stovetop for hours on end. The microwave has allowed me to cook faster without having to attend to the cooking and allowing me time to fulfil other tasks and the best part is that i do not have extra pots and pans for cleaning. This time of the year is always busy, busy, especially when the Chinese New Year is just 2 weeks away and it means that it is time to bake Pineapple Tarts which is a must for this celebration.........

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Coconut Milk Egg White Tarts

Julie, a reader of my blog, requested if i have a recipe for this egg tart. She said that she does not know how to call this tart, so do I !!!. I have not heard of it, she said she ate them in Hong Kong and I regreted that she did not ask me a year ago cos i was in Hong Kong last year and would have gone to get some. Julie, thank you for introducing me to this tart and have the confidence in me to try and build up a recipe from looking at a picture.

To read further and the recipe is HERE

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Flaky Egg Tarts

If you are a Dim Sum lover, you will recognise these delectable tarts and if you frequent the Dim Sum restaurants, you will know that these tarts disappear fast. If you do not ask the waitress to reserve some when they are out of the oven, you will not have any...........

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Apple Frangipane Tart

This tart has that perfect combination of buttery and crumbly pastry, sweet almond cream, and slices of apple. Apples are one of the more versatile fruits and in baking, it is important to use the right type of apple i.e. one that retains its shape when baked and Granny Smith Apples is the one. They are readily available year round and their tart flavor and firm texture make them ideal not only for this tart, but in pies too.


Frangipane is the French name for a rich pastry filling/topping whose principal ingredient is ground almonds or almond paste.


Recipe for Apple Frangipane Tart is HERE Read More......

Ong Lai Rabbit/Rabbit Pineapple Tarts

Would like to share some of my Pineapple Tarts which i made this year.  Since this is the year of the Rabbit, i tried making some in the shape of the Rabbit and it was quite fun to make especially i had Renee helping me.  She was a great help and i should say, we were a great team.  When i had the Rabbit's body ready, which was a round piece of dough wrapped with pineapple jam, she had the Rabbit's tail, ears and nose ready for me.  Alexander, helped too, he did the egg white wash so that i could adhere the tail, ears and nose.  The Rabbits looked great and cute, before they were baked but when they came out of the oven, they had attitute.  Some lost their tails and noses and Renee blamed Alexander for doing a shoddy job in glazing.  Well, these tarts are handmade and can we expect factory-machine made tarts?


I tried making some other shapes like gold ingots, which i gave up after making a few, cos it took up too much time and it was laborious.  Besides it did not turn out so pretty.  The pineapple shape was good, easy and fast.  The next time around i would use more dough rather than more jam, then they would be better looking.


GONG XI FA CAI

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Chiffon Sweet Potato Tartlets

What could be more enticing than a tart or a pie with smooth sweet potatoes filling. The color and texture is so appealing and so light, it is pure indulgence. Sweet potatoes/yams are in abundance this time of the year and to keep up with the Holiday Spirit, add Holiday Spices to the tarts/pies and kick up a notch.

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French Apple Tart

The apple tart is made with France's basic pastry dough - pate brisee. Literally meaning broken paste - differs from its American and English counterparts in that it is a blended dough, intended to tbe crisp and sturdy, not flaky. To achieve this texture, the dough is kneaded using a technique the French call fraisage: actually smearing the dough against the work surface to incorporate the fat. The perfect crust for both sweet and savory fillings alike. Granny smith apples are used for its tartness and firm texture but golden delicious are also very good



Ingredients:

Pate Brisee

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 ozs cold butter, cut into bits
2 tbsps cold vegetable shortening
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water

Filling:

2 medium size granny smith apples, peeled,slice thinly and soak with 1 tsp of lemon juice
1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce(store bought is just as good)
2 tsp fine sugar

Glaze:
1/4 cup of apricot preserves, strain and microwave for 30 seconds and add in 1 tbsp of dark rum.

Method:

Pate Brisee:

In a bowl, combine the flour, butter, shortening and slat. Blend with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup ice water, and toss until incorporated, adding more of the water, if needed, to form a soft dough.

With the heel of your hand, press batches of the dough away from you on a floured surface, smearing it about 6 inches in order to blend and smooth it completely. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

This dough freezes well, wrapped first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

Makes enough dough for one 10 inch tart.

To Make the tart:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Line a 10-inch tart pan with the pastry and trim the edges. Prick with a fork to dock pastry. Chill for 30 minutes.

Spread the applesauce over the bottom of the shell.

Drain the sliced apples and wipe dry, then arrange them on top of the apple sauce in a pattern. and sprinkle with fine sugar.

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in the lower third of the oven for 45 minutes, or until the apples slices are brown at the edges.

Glaze the apples with glazing.

Let the tart cool on a rack.


To Make Apple Sauce:

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a sealable microwave-safe container, combine apples with all other ingredients. Close lid, leaving one corner of lid open to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Using a hand blender or potato masher, blend to desired consistency.

Chill for later use.


Serves


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