Nastar or Pineapple tart is a small, bite-size pastry filled with pineapple jam, commonly made during festivals such as christmas or Ramzan Idd. These delicate, literally melt in the mouth tarts and are so delicious that you cannot stop at one. Here margarine works better than butter, imparting a lovely fragrance. During festivals its very common for Indonesian ladies in villages and small towns to come together, making 1000’s of these tarts , boxing them and marketing them, like a cottage industry. As they are popular gifts
The first time I had these, I was blown off by the taste of these. Do try these delicious easy to make tarts.
Ingredients for Pinapple filling * 300 gms fresh pineapple coarsely blended.
- 60 gms Sugar.
- 1 star anise
- Small pc of cinnamon
- 2 or 3 cloves
Method:
- Put the pinapple pulp in a sauce pan along with spices and sugar, cook untill you see a jam like consistency, ( discard spices)
- Pls do not overcook, remember it becomes harder on cooling down.
- Remove on a plate, and make 4 gms(1/2 tsp) size balls and chill in the refrigerator while you make the tart covering.
Ingredients for tart * All Purpose Flour 100 gms
- Cornstarch 40 gms
- Unsalted butter or margarine 100gms
- Milk powder 44gms
- Fine sugar 44gms
- Egg yolk 1
- 1/2 tsp salt
Method:
- Cream butter and sugar in a bowl using a whisk or spatula.
- Add the egg yolk and mix again
- Add APF, cornstarch, salt and milk powder.
- Mix well and bring the dough together still using spatula.
- Now pinch off 9 to 10 gms of the dough ( roughly about 30 balls)
- Flatten each ball on your palm , place the pineapple ball on it, and bring the edges together, roll to form balls.
- Place all the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in a preheated oven @140 degrees celcius for 30 mins.
- Remove, wait for 10 mins till the tarts are slightly cool, and brush eggwash over the tarts twice over.
- Bake again for 15 to 20 mins.
Egg wash: Mix together 2 eggyolks, 1 tbsp of oil and 2 drops of yellow colour( colour is optional).
Cool and enjoy
