Taiwanese Pineapple Cake (Pineapple Winter Melon Paste) 鳳梨酥

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 kg winter melon

  without skin
• 1 kg pineapple

  without skin
• 2 tbsp Demerara unrefined cane sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 200 g plain flour
• 25 g corn starch

  or corn flour (in Asia)
• 50 g Stevia sweetener
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 160 g unsalted butter

  chilled

Instructions

• 1 Remove skin, the core and seeds of 1 kg winter melon. Cut into big chunks.
• 2 Cook the winter melon in a pot of boiling water until softened and translucent,
  About 10-15 minutes. Drain off the water.
• 3 Grate (using a food processor with grating blade or manually) the cooked winter
  melon. The texture will be similar to purée. Transfer the puree into a muslim
  cloth or cheese cloth.
• 4 Squeeze out the winter melon juice as much as possible.
• 5 Set aside both the winter melon juice and the winter melon purée.
• 6 Remove skin, top, bottom, the inedible 'eyes', and core of 1 kg pineapple.
• 7 Cut pineapples into smaller pieces. Grate in food processor or manually until
  pineapple chunks become fine pieces of pineapple, but not until it turns
  completely puréed.
• 8 Transfer the grated pineapple into a muslim cloth or cheese cloth. Squeeze out
  the pineapple juice and set aside both the pineapple juice and the grated
  pineapple.
• 9 Add the pineapple juice and winter melon juice to a large base non stick pan.
  Add 2 tbsp Demerara unrefined cane sugar and 2 tbsp honey. Stir and let it boil
  on high heat and reduce to half.
• 10 Add the grated pineapple and winter melon purée. Stir to mix well, bring to a
  full boil and let the juice reduce to 10%.
  
  Then reduce the heat to simmering.
• 11 The jam will thicken and liquid will reduce. Stir frequently to prevent from
  being burnt.
  
  Continuously stir the jam over low heat until thickened and there is no visible
  sign of liquid. Turn off the heat. Allow the jam to cool completely.
• 12 Cut chilled 160 g unsalted butter into small cubes (about 1.5cm) and chill in
  fridge until ready to use.
• 13 Add 200 g plain flour, 25 g corn starch , 50 g Stevia sweetener, 1/4 tsp fine
  salt into a food mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for a few
  seconds.
• 14 Add chilled butter cubes to mixed flours and beat on low speed until mixture
  turns sandy.
• 15 Separate 2 egg yolks and beat the egg yolks. Add the beaten egg yolks into the
  mixture and beat on low speed until a consistent dough is formed. Do not
  overbeat.
• 16 Remove dough from mixing bowl and shape into a ball. Wrap in cling wrap and let
  rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
• 17 Roll into balls 20g jam and 30g dough. Keep covered in cling wrap to prevent
  drying out.
  
  Note: I am using a 50g mould.
• 18 Make a hole in the middle of the dough ball, place jam in, gently push the edge
  of the dough to cover the jam completely. Roll into a round shape.
• 19 Press the pineapple cake into the mould using your palm or a cookie press (if
  you have one).
  
  Note: I am using a 50g mould in this recipe, it comes in 6 cavities in a block.
  My preference is to use individual rectangular mould like these
  [https://amzn.to/3DvxP5y] as it comes with a cookie press and also I can flip
  the cakes in the mould easily.
• 20 Bake in pre-heat oven at 170C / 338F (convection oven) or 180C / 356F
  (conventional oven) for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
  
  After 10 minutes of baking, remove from oven and quickly flip the pineapple
  cakes over and continue to bake for another 2-5 minutes until it's golden brown.
• 21 Allow the pineapple cakes to cool for about 15-30 minutes on the baking sheet
  before removing the mould. Let it cool completely before storing in air-tight
  containers.
  
  Best served 24 hours later to let the flavour develop.

Nutrition Info