Try this Pineapple Empanadas recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- water
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- for the dough:
- for the filling:
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 piece of star of anise
- 1-2 inch piece of canela (cinnamon stick)
- 3 1/2 cups flour sifted
- 1 fresh pineapple
- additional ingredients:
- Carbohydrate 27.4441295135233 g
- Cholesterol 3.39307150364906 mg
- Fat 5.78591153494257 g
- Fiber 0.574428461913892 g
- Protein 0.37688604132427 g
- Saturated Fat 2.32656984522848 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (101g)
- Sodium 4657.48362446846 mg
- Sugar 26.8697010516094 g
- Trans Fat 0.275230023925711 g
- Calories 159 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine the water, anise, and cinnamon stick in a small pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Boil for 3 minutes.
- Set aside and let cool.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Heat the shortening in a microwave-safe bowl just until it begins to melt.
- Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork.
- Strain the anise/cinnamon from water.
- Start by mixing in ½ cup of warm “cinnamon tea†into the flour mixture.
- Mix until dough forms. It will look slightly lumpy (not smooth).
- Knead in a little more water and work the dough for 5-6 minutes.
- You will use about 1 cup of the warm liquid, or whatever is needed.
- Cover with a towel and let dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut up a fresh pineapple.
- Chop into small pieces.
- Discard the tough core.
- To a stock pot, add the pineapple, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat and let cook for 15 minutes.
- Continue stirring occasionally.
- With a potato masher, break up the larger pieces of pineapple.
- In a small cup, stir together cornstarch and the cold water.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the pineapple.
- Cook until the pineapple filling starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Dust your working surface with flour.
- Make 24-28 small dough balls the size of a large golf ball.
- With a rolling pin, roll each dough out to 2 - inch circles.
- Add a 1 - 1½ tablespoons of filling to the center of each circle.
- Fold over the dough and using a fork or fingers, press edges together to seal.
- Transfer empanadas to a lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix ground cinnamon + ½ cup sugar.
- Brush water over the top of each empanada.
- (For non-vegans, you can use an egg + water mixture instead of water)
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the empanadas.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While the empanadas are still warm, add more of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Swapping canned crushed pineapple for the fresh fruit alters the filling entirely, introducing excess liquid that dissolves the pastry from the inside out and prevents the cornstarch from binding properly. Fresh fruit provides structural integrity and natural acidity, which canned varieties packed in heavy syrup simply lack. Selecting a pineapple with green leaves and a fragrant base ensures adequate sugar levels before cooking the fruit down with sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Infusing the hydration water with a star anise pod and a cinnamon stick for three minutes builds an aromatic base that completely changes the flavor profile of the pastry. Cutting warm shortening into sifted flour requires a pastry cutter or fork until the fat is evenly distributed into small granules. Kneading the dough for five to six minutes develops the gluten structure necessary to hold the filling without tearing during the rolling process.
Resting the covered dough for thirty minutes allows the flour to fully hydrate and relaxes the gluten strands, making the disks much easier to roll out to two-inch circles without snapping back. Rolling the dough too thin causes blowouts in the oven, while rolling it too thick leaves the interior gummy. Adding one to one-and-a-half tablespoons of cooled filling to each center leaves just enough room to crimp the edges securely with a fork.
Baking these pastries on a lined sheet at 350 degrees F for twenty minutes ensures the crust achieves an even golden brown color without burning the exterior sugars. Brushing the unbaked pastry tops with water or an egg wash allows the cinnamon-sugar mixture to adhere firmly during baking. Applying a second dusting of cinnamon-sugar immediately after removing the pan from the oven while the fat on the surface is still hot guarantees maximum crystal adhesion.
