Pineapple tart (commonly called “pine tart”) and a cheese roll rank among the top pastries in Guyana. They are legendary teatime treats: Buttery, flaky dough is filled with a spiced sweet pineapple jam and folded into petite triangles (for the pine tart) or filled with a spicy cheddar cheese paste and rolled into rectangles (for the cheese roll). My mom’s were community favorites. When she baked them, my siblings and I would always fight to either brush on the egg wash or seal the edges with a fork.
You can use the same pastry to make the pine tart and the cheese roll. Each filling recipe here makes enough to fill all the dough, so if you want to make both, halve your filling ingredient amounts—or double up your pastry dough. Makes 20–25 pastries
Pastry dough
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons white sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
⅓ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup ice-cold water
Egg wash
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
Pineapple jam filling
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole clove
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
Cheese paste filling
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1.To make the pastry dough, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar.
2.Grate the cold butter with a box grater. Add the grated butter and shortening to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse sand. Slowly add the ice-cold water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, working the water into the flour mixture with your hands. Gently knead the dough in the bowl to evenly incorporate the water.
3.Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to use.
4.To make the pineapple jam, combine the pineapple, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and sugars in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the mixture thickens slightly into a jam-like consistency, 15–20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and clove. Spread the jam in a shallow dish to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5.To make the cheese filling, in a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheese, mustard, hot sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir until evenly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
6.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
7.Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator and divide the dough in half. Rewrap half of the dough and return it to the refrigerator to use for the cheese rolls.
8.Make the egg wash by beating the eggs and water until well mixed.
9.If making the pineapple tarts, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼–⅛ inch thick. Cut the dough into circles using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Cut as many circles as possible with the dough.
10.In the center of each circle, spoon 1–2 teaspoons pineapple jam, leaving room around the edge. Using a pastry brush, wet the edge of the circles with the egg wash.
11.Envisioning the three sides of a triangle, lift three sides of the circle of dough and pinch the edges to form a seam, forming a triangle with an opening in the center. If necessary, seal the three corners with a fork.
12.Place the pineapple tarts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the dough edges with egg wash.
13.If making the cheese rolls, remove the remaining pastry dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a rectangle ¼–⅛ inch thick. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into rectangles, about 3 × 4 inches.
14.Spoon 2 teaspoons cheese filling in a line down the middle of each dough rectangle, leaving room on the edges. Brush the dough edges with the egg wash.
15.Tightly roll the dough around the cheese filling, sealing the ends and the long edge with a fork. Pierce the top with a fork to release steam.
16.Place the cheese rolls on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash.
17.Bake the pineapple tarts and/or cheese rolls for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool before serving.