Kue Nastar is a delicious and traditional Indonesian pastry that is enjoyed during the Chinese New Year, Lebaran, and other holiday seasons. Its buttery crust and sweet pineapple filling make it an irresistible treat for all. It is a perfect homemade gift to give to loved ones during the holiday season, or just as a treat for yourself.
Portion the pineapple jam into about 6 gram each and roll into round ball for easier wrapping. Keep them chilled in the fridge
Prepare the egg wash by mixing everything together in a bowl. Make sure it's smooth and no lumps. Use a strainer to strain out the egg white if necessary
Prepare the dough:
Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Place the butter and egg yolk at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until the butter is softened but not melting. Cutting the butter into smaller pieces also helps to speed up the process. This may not take that long if it's warm where you are. I live in a very cold place during this time of the year.
Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and stir until just until mixed with a rubber spatula. There is no need to use a mixer. Overworking the butter too much will make your tarts too crumbly after you bake them. Add egg yolk and then just mix until creamy. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix with a sturdy rubber spatula. The dough seems dry and doesn't seem to come together at this point, that's okay. Keep mixing. The dough will be on the sticky side. Cover and let it chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes but no longer than that. It will be easier to work with when the dough is cold
Shape the tarts:
Preheat the oven to 320 F (160 C) for a conventional oven. For convection oven, preheat to 300 F (150 C)
Remove the dough from the fridge. Pinch off about 10 grams of dough. I recommend measuring with a scale. Once you are done portioning out all the dough, round them up into round balls. The tart bakes evenly when they are all about the same size. Roll them into round balls
Flatten the dough into about 2 1/2 inch circle, don't have to be exact. Place 1 pineapple filling in the middle, gather the edge to enclose the filling and pinch to seal. Place the seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or cookie sheet
Chill the shaped tarts: (optional)
I used to chill the tart before baking with my old recipe. With this newly improved recipe, I don't have to chill and the nastar comes out great and no spreading. If it's really warm where you are, I recommend chilling them in the freezer for about 30 minutes before baking
Bake the tarts for 20 minutes on the middle rack. They will still appear soft and pale. Remove from the oven and brush the egg wash all around the tarts. Then repeat again for the second time. This ensures a glossy and nice golden appearance on the tart
Put them back inside the oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until golden brown
Let them cool down on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to let them cool down completely
Storing:
The tart won't taste as good on the same day you bake them. In fact, they may feel a bit dry. I recommend waiting for 24 hours before consuming
Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks
These tarts freeze very well too. I have made them in advance and freeze them and simply thaw at room temperature just before serving and they are as good as new. They can be kept frozen for one month in a freezer-friendly container