Pine Tarts

About This Recipe

Pine Tarts are one of the most iconic and beloved baked goods in Guyana, a direct legacy of British colonial baking traditions combined with the abundant tropical pineapple of the Caribbean coast. The short, flaky pastry encloses a thick, deeply spiced pineapple jam filling of cooked-down fresh or canned pineapple with cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of vanilla. They are sold at every bakery, market stall, and school canteen across the country, and baked at home for Christmas, Eid, Diwali, and every other occasion that calls for a treat. Their distinctive triangular or square folded shape is uniquely Guyanese.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 300 gall-purpose flour
• 150 gcold unsalted butter, cubed
• ½ tspsalt
• 4 tbspice-cold water
• 1egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 600 gfresh pineapple, finely grated or blended (or crushed canned pineapple, drained)
• 150 gsugar
• 1 stickcinnamon
• 3whole cloves
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 1 tbspcornstarch

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pineapple filling

   Place grated pineapple, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes until the mixture is thick and jammy. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Stir in vanilla and cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water. Cook 2 more minutes. Cool completely.

2. 2

   Make the pastry

   Combine flour and salt. Rub in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add ice water tablespoon by tablespoon, mixing until the dough just comes together. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Roll and cut

   Roll pastry to about 3 mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 10 cm squares.

4. 4

   Fill and fold

   Place a heaped teaspoon of pineapple filling in the centre of each square. Fold the corners up to meet in the centre and pinch to seal, or fold in half diagonally to make triangles, pressing edges firmly. Place on a lined baking tray.

5. 5

   Bake

   Preheat oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown and flaky.

Variations

• •

  Add a pinch of ground ginger to the filling for extra warmth.

• •

  Make round tarts using a muffin tin for a different presentation.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Frequently Asked Questions