Pineapple tarts

By: Mike McEnearney
From: Real Food by Mike
Serves: 8
Photographer: Alan Benson

This pineapple tart recipe can go in many directions. The individual tarts here are the simplest version and, to my mind, the most effective. However, another twist would be to make a pineapple tarte fine. For this you would roll out a sheet of puff pastry, cover it entirely with the frangipane and then cover the tart with very thin, overlapping slices of pineapple. You bake it the same way, but you can cut it into squares or rectangles for a different effect. In any guise, these tarts are delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
1	large pineapple, peeled and cut into 5 mm discs, core removed
30g	icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 sheets	frozen puff pastry

Frangipane

Quantity	Ingredient
100g	butter
100g	caster sugar
25g	plain flour
1	egg
1 teaspoon	vanilla bean paste

Method

For the frangipane, stir the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Dust the pineapple pieces with icing sugar.
Cut the puff pastry into discs 1 cm larger than the pineapple discs and place them on the prepared baking tray.
Spread the frangipane 5 mm thick across the top of the pastry discs, leaving a small border around the edge. Top the discs with the pineapple and dust with icing sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the frangipane is brown in the centre and the fruit is golden. You can also lift one of the tarts up to check that the pastry underneath is crisp. If not, give the tarts more time in the oven until golden and firm.

Medicinal Benefit

Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps digest food by breaking down proteins. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anticancer properties; regular consumption of it helps fight against arthritis, indigestion and even worm infestation. Pineapple is also an excellent source of vitamin C, required for collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body and is crucial for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs and bones. Pineapple also provides vitamin A for healthy skin and vision, folates for cell reproduction, and potassium for balancing body fluids. Almonds are full of cholesterol-friendly monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E for the skin and vitamin B for muscle growth.

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