TAIWAN’S PINEAPPLE PASTRY

I never seen or heard of it until my friend from Taiwan, James shared the Chia Te (or Jiande) Pastry cakes.  The Chia Te pastry cakes are really square bars filled with a fruit paste – similar to the shape and appearance of Fig Newton Bars.  Except the Chia Te bars completely enclosed the filling and is individually beautifully wrapped – then encased in gift boxes which you carry in glossy tote bags.

You get the picture of the attention and care given?

Chia Te's Bakery (or Jiade Bakery) was established in Taipei in 1975 and is known for its pineapple pastry.  Why pineapple?  Did you know that Taiwan was the third largest exporter of pineapples in the world in the 60s and early 70s.  (As of 2010, the top three pineapple growers are Brazil, Costa Rica and the Philippines).  Then the online revolution came along and now the island country is an electronics/IT hotbed.

Pineapple became a surplus setting the motion for local chefs to concoct ways on how to make use of the tropical fruit.  Hence, the birth and evolution of the pineapple cake also known as pineapple pastry, pineapple shortbread, pineapple tart, or “鳳梨酥 fèng lĺ su”. 

I think the more accurate terminology is pineapple squares or fruit squares.

Chia Te offers a variety of pastry and delicacies, including pineapple pastry, cranberry pineapple pastry, egg yolk pineapple pastry (my fave), wife cake (see http://www.scmp.com/article/999237/wife-cakes Wife cakes), milk cake, sun cake and nougat.

The company's cranberry pineapple cake has been selected one of "Taipei's Top Ten Gifts" - a must for tourists

What makes the pastry worth writing about?  The delicious crust is made from butter, and the cream they use is high-quality import from New Zealand.  The filling for the pineapple flavor is really a well-experimented trial and error version of a blend of pineapple and winter melon.  Pure pineapple filling is too tart and fibrous – although the inclusion of winter melon is considered a degradation of quality by some local bakers.

Fortunately, their web site www.chiate88.com in Chinese has an English translation feature. If you are in Taipei, visit the Bakery at: 
No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing East Rd, Taipei 105, Taiwan  Tel:  +886 2 8787 8186

For reviews see:

BestPineapple Tarts in Taiwan, and possibly the world

There are other bakery brands worth trying as well see:

The Who’s Who of Taiwan’s Pineapple Cake Industry