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Pineapple Rolls (Nastar) - Amazing pastry filled with yummy pineapple jam, a must have for the Lunar Festival in Southeast Asia.
Chinese New Year falls on next Friday (January 31), which is practically less than two weeks away.
I am sure many of you who celebrate the festivities have been busy with baking, shopping for new clothes, shoes, and getting ready for the big celebration.
This year, we will be celebrating Chinese New Year—the year of horse—here in Southern California.
Despite the fact that there are many Asians where I live, there isn’t a lot of festive moods around, unless I go shopping at Chinese food stores.
To embrace the happy and festive spirit of Chinese New Year, I have been baking up a storm in my kitchen, making pineapple tarts and other Chinese New Year goodies such as peanut cookies, mini spring rolls, etc.
Pineapple tart is my absolute favorite Chinese New Year cookies and every year I try new recipes, or continue to update and improve my pineapple tarts recipe.
One of the recipes I have always wanted to try is my friend’s Indochine Kitchen Pineapple Rolls recipe, or “nastar,” in Indonesian/Malay language.
I visited Indochine Kitchen in Medan, Indonesia, a couple of years ago and she is just a wonderful, sweet, and kind lady.
I told her that I wanted to buy some of her pineapple rolls if she were to sell them.
However, being so far away from Indonesia, I reckon that I just had to make my own.
A few months ago, I experimented with her recipe with great success.
I can assure you that her recipe is probably the BEST recipe that I have ever tried.
Her creation is pure perfection.
A few days ago, I attempted it the second time and even my super picky toddler loved them.
Pineapple tarts comes in different shapes and forms; hers are pineapple rolls, which is dainty and absolutely pretty.
I have never seen pineapple rolls as beautiful as her creations.
Mine pale so much in comparison but they are utterly buttery, crumbly, and scrumptious.
I just couldn’t stop eating them and in no time they were gone.
I am going to summarize the pineapple rolls recipe here but please go to Indochine Kitchen for her detailed step-by-step recipe plus picture guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 638 calories per serving.
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Pineapple Rolls (Nastar)
Pineapple Jam
- 4.5 lbs (2kg) pineapple
- 21 oz (600g) sugar
- 3 cloves
- 5 cm (2 inches) cinnamon stick
Pastry Dough
- 10 oz (¼oz) all-purpose flour
- 1.5 oz (45g) confectioners' sugar , powdered sugar
- 1.5 oz (45g) milk powder for baking
- 0.5 oz (15g) cornstarch
- 7 oz (200g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks
Egg Wash
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon condensed milk
- Using an electric blender, blend the pineapple for about 10 seconds, or until smooth while still retaining a slight texture. Transfer the pineapple to a non-stick pot.
- Add the sugar, cloves, and cinnamon stick to a pot and cook the pineapple over medium to low heat for a few hours, stirring continuously, until the liquid evaporates and a golden jam forms. (Using a non-stick pot will prevent burning.) Turn off the heat, spread the jam, and let it cool. You can prepare the jam a day in advance and store it in the fridge.
- Sift the flour, sugar, milk powder, and corn flour twice. Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until well combined, light, and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, continuing to beat well after each addition. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat on low speed using the paddle attachment until everything is well combined.
- Work with 50g (about 1¾ oz.) of pastry dough at a time. Roll the dough between two sheets of plastic to form a thin layer (refer to Indochine Kitchen for a step-by-step picture guide). Pipe the pineapple jam on top of the dough, then roll the dough to completely encase the jam.
- Use a pair of scissors to cut the dough into 4 cm (1.5 inch) long rolls. Arrange the pineapple rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- At this point, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Combine the egg wash ingredients until well mixed. Brush the tops of the pineapple rolls with the egg wash mixture twice using a small pastry brush. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 15-20 minutes. Let the rolls cool, then store them in airtight containers.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing… Thanks for sharing.
Looks amazing. What is ‘cloves’?
It’s a spice.
Hi. I tried it and it tasted great after it is out from the oven. Do you feel that it gets starchy and powdery the following days when you eat them? For your rolls it looks much thinner. Do you use 50g or less than that? I live this recipe but just not sure how to make the tart from becoming starchy the following days.
Hi bee, was wondering where am I able to get those clear plastic sheets to roll the dough are there any substitutes
Thanks
Phelicia
You can use this recipe instead and don’t have to make them into rolls if you can’t find the plastic sheets. https://rasamalaysia.com/best-ever-pineapple-cookies-pineapple-tarts/
Can I use canned pineapple?
Yes, you can.