Taiwanese pineapple cake

Ingredients:

Pineapple jam

• 2 x 220g cans of pineapple chunks, drained thoroughly
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cookie

• 1 cup cake flour + extra for work
• 90 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. l. skim milk powder
• 2 tbsp. l. dry custard mix *
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• Special equipment: 15 metal molds measuring 4x5 cm (Taiwanese pineapple cake molds)

Preparation:

1. First, prepare the pineapple filling..
   
   Place the pineapple chunks in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until all the remaining liquid has reduced and the pineapple is almost completely dry, about 12 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is golden brown, very thick, and viscous, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, until completely cool, about 1 hour. Can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
   
2. Knead the dough once the pineapple filling has cooled..
   
   In a food processor, combine the cake flour, butter, powdered sugar, dry milk, custard mix, and salt until the dough comes together and the butter is completely combined, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, then pulse until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough into 15 1-tbsp pieces and roll the pieces into smooth balls.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously spray the inside of each of fifteen 4x5 cm (16 x 2 in) rectangular aluminum pans with cooking spray and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Form the chilled filling into 15 2-tsp balls. Working with one ball of dough at a time, on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the ball with a rolling pin into a thin circle (approximately 7 cm wide and 0.3 cm thick). Place one ball of filling in the center of the dough and wrap the dough around it, pinching the ends to seal the filling inside. Roll between your palms to create an even shape.
5. Place the dough and filling into one of the greased pans, then gently press it down so it fills the pan and is flush with the edges. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.
6. Bake until the tops of each cake are opaque and slightly puffed and the bottoms are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cakes from the pans. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   Note *
   
   Custard mix is ​​a powder made from dry milk, cornstarch, and other ingredients used to make custard or pudding. This powder is used in baking to create a more tender dough without the need for extra liquid. You can find custard mix in various flavors in supermarkets, but for this recipe, we used the original, unflavored powder.