When we were clearing our late parents’ home last year we found some cute, old baking tins. My sister, Sonnie, recalled our mum using these tins to make little pineapple tarts – I had no recollection of them, but Sonnie had a story that went with her memory!
We lived in a small country community where dances and balls were great social events, and almost everyone attended, including children, and even babies. On this particular evening, we were off to a ball, with everyone dressed in their finery, no doubt my mother would have worn a beautiful full-length evening gown, dad would be dressed in a suit, and mum would also have had we three girls all dressed in pretty dresses (that she would no doubt, have made herself) – sorry, I digress!
On this particular evening, Sonnie was asked to carefully carry a tray of little pineapple tarts, that mum had baked, to the car (remember – there was no plastic wrap back then to keep everything in place and prevent spillage). The tarts were to be added to the spread for a late evening supper, that would be handed around for all to enjoy at the end of the evening. Entrusted with the tray of beautiful little tarts, Sonnie decided to do her best interpretation of a waiter in a restaurant, and with the tray carefully balanced on one hand, proceeded to the car. And then it happened, it slipped and you can only imagine what ensued from there…
With this story, and the little “Australian Made” (you don’t see that much any more) “Willow” tart tins retrieved from the family home, I tried to find a recipe for the filling, I did find one, but it needed interpretation, and frankly, it was awful! Then out of the blue, Sonnie messaged with a picture of mum’s recipe that she had found…
It is such a simple recipe, and the filling is so delicious and versatile – I have even used it as a cake filling, but that is another story!
So for all to enjoy…
Such a simple little recipe that is full of flavour!
- 125 g 4oz butter
- 125 g 4 oz sugar
- 125 g 4 oz plain flour
- 125 g 4 oz self raising flour
- 1 egg
- 500 g Gluten Free Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (see notes below for link to my recipe)
- 450 g 16 oz can of Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple in Syrup
- 2 tbsp 8 tsp cornflour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp 4 tsp butter
- 2 egg yolks
-
Rub butter into flour, add sugar and then mix in the egg to form a dough.
-
Roll out the pastry and cut individual rounds of pastry, large enough to line then individual tart tins.
-
Line each tine with pastry and then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 170˚C Fan.
-
Place a small piece of baking paper in each case and add a single layer of pastry weights/beans, or alternatively you can use rice or dried beans.
-
Bake tart cases for 10 minutes, and then remove the paper and weights. Return the pastry cases to the oven and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, until golden.
-
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tins, and then remove the pastry cases from the tins and place on a wire rack.
-
Just before serving, fill with the pineapple filling, and garnish (see suggestions below)
-
Pour the pineapple into a small saucepan, and bring to boil over medium heat.
-
Combine the cornflour and water together, to make a smooth, thin paste.
-
Stir the cornflour paste into the boiling pineapple, and continue to stir until the mixture thickens. Continue to cook for 1 minute.
-
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, then quickly stir in the egg yolks. Set aside to cool
- For Sweet Shortcrust Gluten Free Pastry
- Once the tart cases are baked, I like to reduce the heat of the oven to 50˚C Fan, leaving the cases in the oven, this helps to produce a crisp dry short pastry.
- You can make the pastry shells and filling in advance, and assemble just before serving.
- Store the pastry cases in an airtight container (I keep mine in the fridge.
- Store the filling in a jar or covered basin in the refrigerator.
- Pastry cases can be frozen.
- Suggested garnishes
- a small of whipped cream as is, or with any of the following
- a drizzle of passionfruit
- a thin sliver of kiwifruit
- a thin sliver of mango
- a thin sliver of pineapple
- a little toasted coconut
- any combination of the above
- a small of whipped cream as is, or with any of the following
- Would work just as well as a single large tart.
Until next time…
Bon appétit!
Links:
Latest Find:
Recently, I had reason to head to our local newsagent here in Maffra, and as usual, I checked out the recipe magazines. Ooooh, I found something new, the “Cuisine – From New Zealand to the World” Magazine… Needless to say it is now safely in my collection, and I keep flicking through it so much, that it’s becoming a little dog-eared! And yes, I’ve already cooked something from it, the Sweet Potato, Sage and Feta Tart, though I replaced the Sweet Potato with Pumpkin, used pesto in place of sage, and gilded the lily with a few pine nuts, because I could. I plan to try out more of the recipes in the future.
My husband recently commented that I should open a library because I have so many recipe books and food magazines. What can I say, maybe I have a problem?
I have the same problem. I love the story and that you were able to recover your mom’s recipe.