Pineapple Jam Tartlets

Photo: ping

Ingredients

Tart Base:

7 ounces plain flour+ 1 oz custard powder

4 oz cold butter, cubed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Jam:

2 large ripe pineapples ‐ separate core and flesh

1 sugar ‐ ratio 1: of semi drained pulp to sugar

1 large stick cinnamon

2 wholes star anise

4 cloves ‐ optional

1 lemon ‐ juiced and grated for rind, keep seeds for pectin

Preparation

In a food processor, blitz together flour, cold cubed butter and salt.

Pulse until texture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add beaten egg and quickly pulse to mix until dough comes together.

Remove dough from machine and press gently to bring it together without kneading.

Rest dough in refrigerator for at least 15mins.

Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut into rounds using a cookie cutter.

I'm using aluminum tartlet 12-hole trays with holes measuring about 4cm or 1 1/2" in diameter and about 1cm or 1/2" deep.

Press rounds into holes and gently push down dough to fit mould. Pierce bottom of pastry with a fork, making 3 lines of holes.

Fill pastry cups with pineapple jam.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 18-20 mins.

Remove from oven and let rest in tray for 5 mins. Cool completely on a rack before storing in an airtight container.

Jam:

Grate the pineapple flesh with a coarse grater. (If you use a food processor, you'll end up with a finer mush). Grate pineapple cores with the finest grater. (See pic below for the 2 graters I used)

Combine both grated pulp and put into a sieve and allow most of the liquid to drizzle into a large stainless steel pot. Do not squeeze.

When the juice has stopped drizzling, measure out the pulp into cups or weight and have that same amount of sugar. You may reduce the sugar by half a cup but any less and the jam won't gel. (I'm not using any artificial pectin here).

Once you've got the measurements for the sugar, you can put everything (juice, 2pulp, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, if using, lemon juice, grated rind, seeds - can be put into a muslin bag, or just pick them out when bottling) into your big pot.

Bring to boil over a medium heat, reduce heat and continue to stir at a simmer until liquid has reduced and thickened to a sticky consistency.

Cool before using them in cookies or bottle while hot in sterilised jars.