Baking Recipe: Pineapple Tart Cookie (A Malaysian Favourite Festive Cookie) -#citruslove

Chinese New Year is exactly a week plus away from today and I have only started baking.. oh! boy.. talk about being last minute. No matter what, the next few days are going to be ultra busy for me and perhaps that might kill my legs since I will be standing for hours. However peeps, despite the crazy long hours pacing back and forth to the oven, every single minute of it is worth it.

Let me see, the reasons to do so is endless..Firstly, my family gets to enjoy the pineapple tart cookies, my first time posting on my Asian roots on baking, the best part is having you to pop over to feast your eyes and perhaps give it a shot in baking this cookie.

Pineapple Tart Cookies are really famous here in Malaysia, and it's usually a yearly affair. These cookies are sold everywhere by commercial bakeries to home baked whenever Chinese New Year is coming. Of course, there are other various style too depending whether its Nyonya, Indonesian, or Taiwanese; but the base ingredients are pretty much the same.

For recipe: Click on image + zoom

I know it sounds rather confusing, if you're thinking it sure don't look like a tart. However,this cookie has been named this way for several years. So please don't correct me ;). The 'tart' is mainly due to the pineapple jam like filling; made from scratch using fresh shredded pineapples, cooked down in it's natural sugar which caramelises the pineapple flesh and juice making it stringy, sticky and easy to shape. To compliment the 'tart', it is paired with a crumbly, buttery melt in the mouth butter cookie.

It's essential to get the balance between the tart and cookie right for the ultimate Pineapple Tart Cookie experience. Sweet tangy pineapple nectar encased in an ultra moist aromatic buttery melt in the mouth cookie is definitely heaven in a single bite. Since it's #CitrusLove month hosted by Cafe Terra this January 2012, I am thinking this little cookie will be a perfect candidate. Make sure to hop on over there to check it out too.

Till then... to all my Asian readers, Gong Xi Fa Cai..May you have lots of good health and prosperous year!!!

xx