Pineapple biscuits

 

Pineapples in the Hokkien dialect is "onglai" and sounds like "prosperity come", as a direct translation. Hence the abundance of pineapple tarts and display of pineapples during the festive season. 

I like to make these in December (summer) as pineapples come into season and Christmas gifting approaches.  This is a quick recipe using Golden Circle crushed pineapples in juice.

INGREDIENTS (makes 40 biscuits)

Biscuit:

175g softened butter

50ml condensed milk

1 egg

2C cake flour (250g)

Pineapple Filling:

1 x 440g cans of crushed pineapple (drained)

1/2C CSR jam setting sugar/demerera sugar (2 parts:1part)

Egg Wash:

1 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon condensed milk

1/4 teaspoon oil

METHOD

Make the jam in advance (preferably the day before) so it can cool in the fridge and is easy to work with.

Drain the crushed pineapple and put in a non-stick saucepan. Use a potato masher to break up any large/hard chunks. Add sugars.

Cook on high heat, until liquid has almost evaporated. Turn down to medium and stir to avoid burning. Continue to stir until the pineapple filling turns golden in colour and becomes very sticky and clumps together (I cook for about 15 mins and then monitor until I can see white flecks in the pineapple as it is cooking and the sugar caramelising and giving the jam a dark golden hue).

Transfer the pineapple filling out (I use baking paper and line a plastic container) and chill in the fridge (needs an hour at least to cool in freezer but best to do this day before).

Often I make pineapple jam as a batch and keep for later.  I find tripling the recipe easiest - you end up with approx 600g of jam.

To make the biscuits:

Cream the butter and condensed milk until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until well combined. Mix in the flour slowly to form the pastry dough. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands.

Divide the pineapple filling and dough into 40 portions. Roll them both into balls. To wrap, use your palms to roll each dough and then flatten it.  Place the pineapple ball into middle. Enclose with dough (pinch ends together) and roll back to round shape.

Place filled dough balls onto tray lined with baking paper. Use a fork to slightly flatten and mark the top of the biscuit.  Turn the fork approx 45 degrees and repeat to mark a criss-cross shape on the cookie (like the outside of a pineapple).

Prepare the egg wash by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

If it is warm, refrigerate your biscuits to firm up your dough before brushing the top of each biscuit with the egg wash. Repeat until all ingredients are used up (I bake 20 on each oven tray).

Bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 165C for about 20-22 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Transfer them out and cool on a wire crack before storing in an airtight container.

Each biscuit should weigh approx 20g and have 5g of pineapple jam inside.