Pineapple Tarts in Singapore

The pineapple tart — a festive staple for households in Singapore across all cultures.

The star ingredient is the pineapple jam, made with painstaking effort to slowly caramelise fresh pineapple, made fragrant with the addition of tropical spices such as cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. The pastry is tender rather than crispy, and the combination of melt-in-the-mouth buttery dough with the sweet and spicy jam, has ensured it remains a traditional delight in the region.

Some say the pineapple tart was created by the Peranakans, some say by the Eurasians, when the pineapple was first introduced to Asia by the Spaniards and Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Portuguese were well-known for their pastries and tarts, and with the abundance of pineapples in the area, the fruit was a natural variation of jams to fill in the tarts. The use of spices originated from the cuisines of this region, resulting in the innovation of this pastry through cultural mixing.

In Hokkien and Cantonese families, pineapple translates to “Ong Lai” which means “Prosperity Come”, therefore giving these tarts to your loved ones during the festive season signifies the Gift of Gold and wishes of prosperity — an added reason to enjoy one of the best loved creations to come from the exchange of ideas from the east and west. #FoodForThought

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