Matcha Pineapple Cakes with Lime (Taiwanese × Japanese)

Method

1. Put the crushed pineapple with its juice and the sugar in a wide non-stick pan (22 cm). Boil on medium-high heat for 7 min, then lower to medium-low heat and cook for 10 min, stirring constantly, until it becomes a thick paste that holds a line.

   Add in this stepCanned crushed pineapple (with juice) 400 gSugar 40 g

   medium-high heat→medium-low heat

2. Off the heat, stir in the finely grated lime zest and the lime juice. Spread on a plate and cool completely; it firms up as it cools.

   Add in this stepLime (zest and juice) ½

3. Beat the soft butter with the icing sugar and salt for 2 min until pale, then beat in the egg. Sift the matcha, milk powder and flour together over the bowl (matcha clumps easily) and fold into a soft, evenly green dough. Wrap and chill for 20 min.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened 70 gIcing sugar 18 gSalt 1 pinchBeaten egg 20 gMatcha powder 4 gWhole milk powder 10 gPlain flour (or cake flour) 100 g

4. Preheat the oven to 160 °C; the lower heat keeps the crust green. Divide the dough and filling into 8 equal pieces each (about 25 g and 20 g), wrap and seal as in the classic method and press into moulds on a lined tray.

   oven

5. Bake in the oven for 12 min, flip in the moulds and bake for 6 min more, until set and only lightly coloured underneath; the green should stay bright.

   oven

6. Cool for 10 minutes in the moulds, unmould and cool on a rack. Best after a night in an airtight box.