Kue Nastar (Indonesian Pineapple Cookies)

Kue Nastar (Indonesian Pineapple Cookies)

These cookies are a must in every celebration in Indonesia! Chinese new year will not be complete without a jar of these wonderful buttery cookies, filled with sweet pineapple jam spiced with hints of cinnamon and cloves. Yum!

Adapted from http://www.indochinekitchen.com

Ingredients:

Pineapple Jam Filling  (makes approx. 285 gr):

- 750 gr pineapple that has been peeled

- 125 g sugar, adjust depending how sweet your pineapple is.

- 0.5 tsp ground cloves

- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

- a pinch of salt

Note that this will make extra pineapple jam. You will only need 108 grams of filling for 36 cookies. The jam will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks like any other jams.

Cookies (makes 36 cookies):

- 200 gr unsalted butter, softened

- 60 gr powdered sugar

- 280 gr all purpose flour

- 40 gr powdered milk

- 20 g cornflour

- a pinch of salt

- 2 egg yolks, room temperature

Egg wash:

- 1 egg yolk plus 1 tsp of heavy cream

- 2 egg yolks

Method:

Make your pineapple jam filling first, as it takes quite sometime and you need it cooled completely. I like to make mine the night before and refrigerate it overnight so it makes it easier to shape.

1. Roughly chop your pineapple, blend well.
2. Pour into a thick-bottomed pot with the sugar, spices and salt.Stir well and bring it up to a boil.
3. Turn down the heat to low and cook for 2 hours, until reduced and caramelised. Stir it often to avoid the sugar in the mixture burning on the bottom of the pot.
4. Cool down completely. Shape into 36 balls, weighing 3 grams each.

Make the cookie dough:

1. Using a stand mixer/handheld mixer, beat softened butter and powdered sugar until light and well combined for about 5 minutes on medium speed.
2. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well before adding in the second yolk.
3. Add flour, powdered milk, corn flour and salt.
4. Beat until well combined and forms a ball, roughly for 3 minutes.
5. Shape into 36 balls, weighing roughly 18 grams each.

Shape your cookies:

1. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celcius (conventional oven) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Flatten a ball of dough.
3. Place one pineapple filling ball in the middle. Enclose. Do not squash the filling.
4. Shape it into a ball. You want a smooth surface with no cracks. Flatten the top and the bottom a litlte bit.
5. Beat one egg yolk with a teaspoon of heavy cream. Brush tops of cookies with egg wash twice.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes, take the cookies out and brush them twice with two beaten egg yolks.
8. Put the cookies back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Make sure you turn the tray around so the cookies brown evenly.
9. Cool completely and enjoy!

I personally think that the cookies taste better the next day, as the cookie dough is not as soft and has a nicer texture.

Store cookies in an airtight container, only after they are cooled completely.  They will keep for a couple of weeks at room temperature.

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