Taiwanese Pineapple Tarts/Shortcakes

• Cream butter, shortening and icing sugar till light and fluffy for around 8 minutes.
• Add in egg and essence if using.
• Fold in all purpose flour, cornflour and milk powder. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Divide dough into 30 pcs and wrap with the pineapple filling.
• Press it onto the square mould and bake it at 170°C (338°F) for 15 – 20 minutes and turn it around to bake for another 15 minutes or till brown.

Pineapple Paste

• Place the pineapple in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, 18 to 20 pulses. Pour into a Dutch oven.
• Place the winter melon in the food processor and pulse until very finely shredded, 20 to 22 pulses. Transfer to the Dutch oven.
• Cook the combined mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the winter melon begins turning translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar, and cook until the mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the maltose syrup and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick, sticky, and uniformly light amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a shallow bowl and refrigerate until cool. Divide into 1 Tsp each.