[Updated 2017] My friend told me of this Auntie who would shove her mouth with pineapple tarts every Chinese New Year, “This is the best pineapple tart in Singapore, you know. Must eat okay?”
Most of the time it ends up as a calorie waster. How do you politely tell her you had better?
Because my take is: If you want to have a pineapple tart, save it for the very best. (Is there a video of telling us to half the pineapple tart? Aiyah, so leh-chey. Just be selective.)
For course everyone has their desired best brand. DanielFoodDiary.com has rounded up 9 different brands (9 is so prosperous-sounding) – originating from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and even Indonesia – coming in all shapes and sizes from balls, cakes to tarts.
Le Café Pineapple Golf Balls
Available at 264 Middle Road (orders full very early), Blk 42 Cambridge Road #01-02, Blk 637 Veerasamy Road #01-111
Some food reviewers claimed that “they are the best pineapple tarts” and “the king of pineapple tarts”.
These tarts from Le Cafe Confectionery & Pastry, better known as ‘golf balls’, are big, fat and huge – almost the size of a ping pong.
If you like your tarts buttery and crumbly, you would fall in love with this. Their balls are heavily packed with home-made pineapple jam which are all manufactured in-house. (Read: Le Café Confectionery Middle Road)
Crystal Jade Bolo Pineapple Tarts
Available at Crystal Jade My Bread AMK Hub, Ngee Ann City, Holland Village, Toa Payoh HDB Hub, Bugis Junction, Suntec City, Yew Tee Point, Causeway Point, Heartland Mall, International Plaza etc
The very creative Crystal Jade My Bread has R&Ded ingenious pineapple ‘bolo’ tarts ($19.80 for pack of 16).
Imagine the bolo bun in a bite-sized tart, with the same crumbly goodness, centered with delicious pineapple jam. It is just amazing how the entire texture of the tart feels exactly like the ‘bolo’ bun, except it is much smaller.
Having the best of both worlds, this tart is almost unbelievable and extremely addictive. (Read: Crystal Jade My Bread Bolo Tarts)
TCC – The Connoisseur Concerto Teddy Pineapple Tarts
Available Indocafe, TCC Great World City, International Building, ION Orchard, Isetan Scotts Shaw House, Novena Square, Peranakan Place, Bugis Junction, The Central, Circular Road, Clarke Quay, Funan DigitaLife Mall, Marina Bay Sands, One Marina Boulevard, Raffles Xchange, The Pier @ Robertson etc
Oh, TCC has pineapple tarts? And these are really cute ones. We couldn’t tell if they are shaped like teddy bears or monkeys, but we think it is more of the former.
The size is cute, not overly filling, lightly buttery, with pineapple jam fillings slightly to the sweet side. Kids will love these.
From experience, this are the tarts that are finished fastest at home! A hit with the kids (and adults young at heart) apparently.
Rasa Sayang Pineapple Balls
Available at Takashimaya Basement 2, Novena Square
Big is not always better, and small can have its beauty. Rasa Sayang’s pineapple balls ($18) has a circumference of a 10 cent coin, makes a good ‘pop’ without feeling overly guilty. The risk, you may just ‘pop’ ten pieces at a go.
These are 100% handmade in their confectionary in Jakarta, following a Dutch inspired recipe using Holland butter for the crust. The butter fragrance does make you feel like you are having kueh lapis at times.
Kele Cake’s Pineapple Tarts
Available at Takashimaya Square, factory at 15 Jalan Tepong, Jurong Food Hub #06-16 Singapore 619336
Kele Cakes & Cookies’ Pineapple Tarts shot into fame when they won the ‘Best-Tasting Pineapple Tarts’ out of 100 entries in a search conducted by a local mall.
They are a family business which has been around for almost 30 years, with the current recipe tweaked through years of experimentation and feedback.
Kele has a balanced touch on the tarts – pastry not too hard or crumbly, with generous portion of pineapple jam without tilting to overly sweet or sour. It is yes, just nice.
SunnyHills Pineapple Cakes
Available at Raffles Hotel till 10th Feb 2017. The shop will move to Takashimaya basement end Feb.
Though there are many Taiwanese branded pineapple cakes in Singapore, SunnyHills takes the lead for its quality.
I have tried many Taiwanese pineapple cakes. But these made with Nantou’s indigenous pineapples, New Zealand butter, Japanese gourmet flour, and plump-yolked eggs where the chickens listen to classical music, are buttery fragrant and pleasant tasting.
The jam has a mellow sweetness without being overpowering. (Read: SunnyHills Singapore Raffles Hotel)
Out Of The Cake Box Chix Skin / Attap Chee Pineapple Tarts
Available Block 45 Telok Blangah Drive #01-173 Singapore 100045, Our Tampines Our
After sampling through many, many stalls at the CNY fairs and feeling unsatisfied, I picked up a box of Out Of The Cake Box’s Attap Chee Pineapple Tarts without trying. My sense that “this box can make it”. I also trusted a reader’s recommendation, and she was quite right.
Not cheap though, 21 pieces for $28.80. But it is surprisingly different. The all-buttery pastry is soft (yet not crumbly) and melts in your mouth, wrapping around pineapple-wrapped attap chee which gives a tinge of pleasant sweetness.
Unfortunately, this year Out Of The Cake Box didn’t produce these, and went for the Chix Skin Pineapple Tarts instead. They can be weird-tasting, with a tidbit-like saltiness on the exterior. But I know some who loved these a lot. Sold out early.
Amethyst Pineapple Cheese Tarts
Available Blk 524A Jelapang Road #02-04 Greenridge Shopping Centre. Tangs Market Basement 1, Takashimaya Square Basement 2
Amethyst Pastry & Cakes claim that they are the first to create the popular cheese pineapple tarts. Of course there are many copycats but few can compare to the original.
The cheese on the outer layer adds a tinge of saltiness which makes a fine blend with the sweetness of the fillings. While the pineapple filling may slightly too jam-my and sweet, they got the crust and size right.
The focus of this pineapple tarts series is on commercial brands where you can still get access to. I attest that sometimes the best ones, at home-made by the grannies with love back in the kitchen.
Pulse Patisserie Sated Egg Pineapple Tarts
Available The interlace, 180 Depot Road #01-06 Singapore
After trying out Pulse Patisserie’s crazy good Salted Egg Yolk Choux Au Craquelin, aka salted egg yolk biscuit ($12 per half dozen, $35 per box of 20), I gave them a challenge – to create Salted Egg Pineapple Tarts, and they did it!
The salted egg was roasted in brown butter, then whipped into the pineapple fillings. At $25 per container, they reminded me of … mooncakes.
Tell me which is your favourite pineapple tarts, and why. So that I may just buy a box for Auntie and tell her, this is THE BEST.
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Sembawang Confectionery’s pineapple tarts made with SCS butter. Delicious.
Have you tried the pineapple tarts from Mirana Cake House? Those are one of the best around, in my humble opinion.
I bought online from a store for CNY this year and they have pineapple tarts that are divine and beautiful packaging. Comes in tins. I hope this is the way pineapple tarts will go in future. Store is SUCRE. a mouthful though
Bengawan Solo had got me and my in laws addicted, they just melt in your mouth
My fav from Joyus at tanjong pagar xchange. Available all year round.
Mr bean’s!
Which ones can I order online and have shipped
To usa?
Hi Anita, I can almost say none of these. Some are so hard to order, we have to order way in advance.
MAMABOYBAKERY!
Rasa Sayang’s pineapple balls ($18) has a circumference of a 10 cent coin, makes a good ‘pop’ without filling overly guilty.
Do you mean “feeling”?
Thanks for pointing out. Corrected 🙂
To me, I feel pineapple tarts from Pineapple Tarts Singapore is my favorite. As a big fan of pineapple tarts and a home baker, the pineapple tarts there are really up to my standard and value for money. Havent tasted any signifcantly better so far after all I’ve tried in Singapore IMO.