Eggless Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes

TAIWANESE PINEAPPLE CAKE

These little Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes make a delightful treat, blending the sweetness of pineapple with the richness of the crust for a well-balanced and satisfying experience.  You can buy the moulds from shops that sell cake making ingredients and bakeware. Alternatively, there are several online shops that sells the moulds too.

HOME-MADE PINEAPPLE FILLING

1 kg grated fresh ripe pineapple (about 2 medium pineapples)

250 g caster sugar or more

3 cm cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 pandan leaves

2 teaspoons golden syrup

METHOD

1. Squeeze out some of the juice from the grated pineapple and either drink it or discard it.
2. Put all the ingredients into a non-stick pan and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. 
3. Lower the heat and cook further for about 20 minutes stirring constantly over a low flame till the jam is thick enough to be rolled into balls.  You need to check the consistency – if it is too hard or too sticky, splash about 50 ml water and mix evenly.
4. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and pandan leaves.
5. Cool the jam thoroughly and roll into twelve cherry-sized balls (20 g each).  Keep it refrigerated for about 20 minutes before using.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY

250 g pineapple filling (home-made or shop bought)

200 g cake flour

40 g icing sugar

30 g milk powder

30 g custard powder

180 g salted butter, chilled and diced

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Divide pineapple filling into 12 portions and shape into balls.  Keep aside.
3. Sift flour, icing sugar, milk powder and custard powder into a bowl.
4. Add  butter and rub in till the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
5. Knead to form a soft dough and divide into 12 portions (about 40 g each).
6. Flatten the dough lightly and place a ball of pineapple filling on it.  Wrap the dough round the pineapple filling.
7. Place this into a square metal mould and press lightly to flatten on BOTH sides.
8. Place on non-stick paper.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown – FLIP ONCE during baking.
10. Cool before unmoulding.

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