The best pineapple tarts in Singapore
It isn't Chinese New Year without pineapple tarts – we examine popular brands in our blind taste-test
It's a fact. There is no Chinese New Year without pineapple tarts. And with one tart clocking in at 82 calories, we definitely don't want to be stuffing our faces with anything less than the best. We put 10 popular pineapple tart brands to the test and rank them from the best to the worst. You're welcome.
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Lè Pineapple Cakes
Manufactured by Yi Kou Wei, these bite-sized balls ($28.50) tick all the right boxes. The buttery pastry melts in the mouth while the pineapple jam that isn't too sweet shines through. It also comes topped with cheese and red velvet, which is naturally dyed with beetroot extra if you want an extra festive treat.
Get it at Yi Kou Wei's Takashimaya Lunar New Year Fiesta booth or pineappletarts.com.sg.
Janice Wong
Janice Wong’s 76% dark chocolate pineapple tarts ($28) are tarts with a twist that we didn't know we needed. True to her style, the local queen of desserts covers her crumbly tarts with dark chocolate and finishes them off with a touch of gold dust. The dark chocolate balances out the sweetness of the pineapple jam and also hides the dryness of the pastry. Nothing beats the traditional tart but if you're up to try something new, these tarts will definitely get your relatives talking.
Violet Oon
Violet Oon’s handcrafted pineapple tarts ($28) are elegantly packaged and make for a classy gift. The buttery Portuguese-inspired pastry crumbles just the right amount but reveals a little too sweet Peranakan-style pineapple jam in the middle.
Bengawan Solo
Maybe it’s because most of us grew up with Bengawan Solo’s pineapple tarts ($20.80), but these golden nuggets are a firm favourite. The soft buttery pastry is the ideal vehicle for the sweet and tangy pineapple jam.
bengawansolo.com.sg
Old Seng Choong
Old Seng Choong's new spicy Nonya pineapple tarts ($22.78) are packed with hae bee hiam and sambal – and found ourselves surprisingly enjoying this curious mix of local flavours. The spicy filling packs a punch and the pastry is firm but crumbly.
Thye Moh Chan
For fans of local flavours, be sure to grab Thye Moh Chan’s Gula Melaka infused pineapple pastries ($12). These square shaped delights are an almost perfect blend of crumbly pastry and sweet filling. If you need a little more sweetness in your life this festive new year, Thye Moh Chan’s Gula Melaka infused pineapple pastries are the way to go.
Bakerzin
Even though these ingots ($21.31) are large, they achieve the right pastry-to-filling ratio. The pineapple jam is cooked with cinnamon and cloves, adding dimension to each bite.
bakerzin.com
The Pine Garden
The Pine Garden's pineapple tarts ($28.60) score points for its homemade jam that isn't too sweet but the pastry wasn't buttery enough for our liking.
www.pgcake.com
Subway Niche
This open-faced tart ($20) has a biscuit-like crust loaded with lots of jam. While the jam was not too sweet, we felt that it lacked tartness and tasted pretty ordinary.
#B1-17, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, 435 Orchard Rd
Bee Cheng Hiang
These bite-sized tarts ($18.95) might look pretty but the sweet pastry overwhelms the flavour of the pineapple jam. You get what you pay for with these.
www.beechenghiang.com.sg